Williams set to sign Sauber driver for the 2025 F1 season: Reports

Williams F1 is reportedly set to announce former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, who is managed by Toto Wolff, as their second driver alongside Alex Albon for the 2025 season. The Grove-based team currently has a driver lineup of the Thai driver and Logan Sargeant, who has struggled since joining them in 2023.

Sargeant has been under pressure for his seat in the sport as he has failed to close the gap to Albon during his 18-month stint with the team.

Bottas' contract with Kick Sauber expires at the end of the 2024 season, with his chances of being retained by the Hinwil-based team, which will become Audi in 2026, becoming slim.

The Finnish driver was spotted leaving the hospitality of the Williams F1 team in Imola last weekend. Bottas had been linked to multiple teams on the grid such as Alpine and Haas but he might return to the British team, which he had raced for from 2013 to 2016 before making the jump to the German outfit.

As per PlanetF1, when asked about the meeting, Valtteri Bottas claimed that it was 'normal things, about life!'. He also recognized that 'when you’re on the free market, you want to check around what’s out there'.

The former Mercedes driver revealed that he won't be interested in signing a one-year deal and was hoping for a project given his experience, saying (via Speedcafe):

“I wouldn't get one year somewhere just to be in F1, just to hang on. I need a long-term project with clear goals and with respect for what I can do and deliver.”

Williams F1 team boss explains their criteria for choosing the 'right driver' for 2025

Williams team principal James Vowles has stated that they, as a team, were evaluating multiple drivers on the grid and wanted to sign a second driver for a longer duration.

As per F1.com, the former Mercedes head of strategy said:

“What we’re doing at the moment is evaluating drivers for ’26 and ’25, and what we really want is the right driver pairing for those two years, because when you go through a regulation change, you really don’t want to be changing drivers in ’26, so you’re looking for the right pairing for that period of time."

Vowles also recognized their 'duty' towards Alex Albon, who has recently signed a contract extension, adding:

“More so than that, I have a duty and a responsibility to make this car faster first, because Alex is a championship-level driver."

The Grove-based team had also allegedly asked for dispensation from FIA regarding F2 driver and Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli's FIA super license a couple of weeks back.

It is to be seen which combination the Williams team would go for as they have become a desired destination for many drivers since they finished P7 in the Constructor's Championship last year.