Valtteri Bottas has emerged as the leading candidate for a surprise switch to Alpine later this year should the Formula 1 team decide it wants to replace Franco Colapinto. Alpine’s executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who is currently its de facto team principal, has approached Mercedes to discuss the potential availability of its reserve driver. While it is understood that discussions between Alpine and Mercedes over Bottas have been very preliminary, and have not advanced towards a deal definitely happening, they do suggest that Briatore is considering his driver options amid Alpine’s ongoing struggles. Bottas, who was dropped by Sauber at the end of last year, has made no secret of the fact he wants to get back into a full-time F1 race seat. While it was previously thought that the all-new Cadillac operation was his best hope, as talks between the Bottas camp and F1’s incoming team have already begun, the possibility of jumping into an Alpine seat could offer Bottas another F1 lifeline – both for later this year and into 2026. Sources suggest Mercedes would have no problem in letting Bottas take on an F1 return with Alpine, especially as it will become a Mercedes customer team from […]