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Valtteri Bottas’ time in F1 came to a halt at the end of the 2024 season when he didn’t have his Sauber contract extended. The 10-time Grand Prix winner didn’t find a suitable spot on the grid for this season and decided to go back to Mercedes as a reserve driver. However, his career on the track is far from over.
Bottas never really kicked off at Sauber. At Mercedes, he was a superstar who was a reliable deputy to Lewis Hamilton and contributed heavily to the team’s five consecutive Constructors’ title wins between 2017 and 2021. But he left top-class machinery to join Sauber, a backmarker, as he was replaced by Mercedes for George Russell.
At the Hinwil-based squad, Bottas appeared to be invested in a long-term project to take the team ahead but unfortunately, they only kept falling down the pecking order. There even came a time when he found it near impossible to get in the points, which sadly reduced his stocks.
So when the time to decide his future came last year, Bottas decided not to go after a one-year contract at Sauber, and instead perform reserve duties at the team he tasted so much success with. He insisted several times that he would not go after one-year contracts in the sport anymore, even if it meant staying on the sidelines.
However, that’s something he would be willing to change come 2026. “What would be motivating for me is to start a new project. Entering into a partnership for a number of years with clear goals. That’s what I need right now,” the Finn said to Top Gear.
“But at the same time, if a place becomes available in a car where you can fight for good points or even podium places or victories, I would of course like to do that”, he added.
Bottas, by saying this, suggested that he’s open to joining a team for just a season if it gives him a platform to relaunch his career and show, once again, that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level of motorsport. But sadly, he cannot do that in Mercedes.
The Silver Arrows have Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a lineup Toto Wolff appears to be content with, and is expected to be for years to come. Cadillac, though, could present Bottas with an opportunity.
Set to be the 11th team on the grid from 2026 onwards, the American outfit is on the hunt for two drivers to kickstart their F1 project, and Bottas has been one of the names linked. However, competition is steep, as the 35-year-old is in the same list as the likes of Sergio Perez, Mick Schumacher, and Colton Herta, to name a few.
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LSU predicted to go to court over Brian Kelly's buyout
Despite LSU firing Brian Kelly on Sunday, the program has not yet finalized a plan for the former head coach's buyout, estimated at $53 million. It's unclear how many greenbacks the Tigers will pay. Kelly left Notre Dame in November 2021 to sign a 10-year, $95 million deal with the Tigers. He went 34-14 with LSU before he could finish his fourth season, which equates to approximately $2.97 million per win for Kelly. Per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry suggested during a news conference on Wednesday that state taxpayers could foot part of the bill for Kelly's buyout. That would be atypical, as most programs fund buyouts via donations. LSU could go to court over Brian Kelly's contract LSU is set to continue paying Kelly in monthly installments of $800,000. However, a long-term solution between Kelly and the program has not been reached, and a case could end up in court. According to Yahoo Sports, LSU noted in its announcement that buyout details would be announced at a later date — quite possibly at the governor's behest, who seems opposed to paying the full fare, even if it means resorting to the legal system. “We may end up in a Louisiana courtroom,” predicted one person, per Yahoo Sports. Landry expressed concern about the contract now-former athletic director Scott Woodward gave Kelly, stating that the next head coach would not receive such a contract. (Woodward has since been fired.) "We're gonna make sure that he's compensated properly, and we're gonna put metrics on it because I'm tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill," said Landry. The situation is bad optics for the state of Louisiana and LSU. Any prospective candidate for the Tigers has to wonder whether the program or the state is willing to live up to its word. While college football coaching contracts are spiraling out of control, it's up to the school (and in LSU's case, as a public institution, the state) to make sure those contracts aren't signed in the first place if they cannot honor the details of the agreement.
Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage is already making the rest of MLB look foolish for passing on him
The Toronto Blue Jays and their fans witnessed something special on Wednesday night. It doesn’t get much better than a convincing 6-1 Game 5 win to take a 3-2 lead over the superteam Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Heading back home with the chance to win a championship at the Rogers Centre was what truly mattered for the Blue Jays; however, the way it all played out in such a pivotal game at Dodger Stadium will go down in history. Starting pitcher Trey Yesavage was untouchable, throwing seven dominant innings where he allowed just one run on three hits while striking out 12. Those 12 punchouts set the rookie record for the most ever in a World Series game. Seven of them came against the heart of the order in Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. His one-of-a-kind splitter had them fooled from start to finish. Yesavage’s ridiculous rise from starting the year in Class-A Dunedin to carving up the best lineups in baseball in the postseason is unheard of. It makes you wonder how he fell all the way to the Blue Jays at pick No. 20 in the 2024 MLB Draft to begin with. Trey Yesavage has 18 teams regretting their decision While it’s still extremely early to be looking back on his draft class, what Yesavage has done these last few months can’t be replicated. A 22-year-old jumping onto a moving train with just three career MLB starts under his belt goes on to start five playoff games, posting a 3-1 record with a 3.46 ERA and a whopping 39 strikeouts. Those are the kinds of numbers you expect to see from Tarik Skubal or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, not a rookie with almost no big league experience. Nineteen different organizations let Yesavage slide down the draft board last July. At this point, the Athletics are the only ones who should feel alright about their decision, given that first baseman Nick Kurtz already looks like one of the best hitters in baseball. The 18 others look silly. While some of these prospects will certainly turn out to be good players, it’s safe to say that none of them will make this type of impact on the world’s biggest stage. If the Blue Jays can pull this off and win their third World Series title in franchise history, Yesavage will never have to buy another meal in Toronto again. Quite frankly, he’s been so good that he may not have to even if they don’t find a way to finish the job. No matter how this all ends, Yesavage has not only turned himself into a Toronto sports legend, but a Canadian sports legend. The city and country can't wait to see what else he has in store because if this postseason was any indication, then they are in for many more historic performances in the years to come.
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Steelers, Jaylen Waddle Trade Window May Have Reopened
The Pittsburgh Steelers want a wide receiver. They thought about the addition of Marques Valdes-Scantling, only to leave the door open for a bigger name. With days remaining before the trade deadline, there are a few, but one may have just reopened that could top their list. The Miami Dolphins have mutually parted ways with long-time general manager Chris Grier after 25 years of working in the position. The team sits at 2-7 and may be nearing the end of head coach Mike McDaniels as well, which could lead to significant changes being made everywhere, including the wide receiver position. Steelers Could Go After Jaylen Waddle The Steelers have reported interest in Jaylen Waddle. According to NFL insider Tony Pauline, the team has Waddle and Tennessee Titans' Calvin Ridley circled, with the Dolphins' firing becoming an interesting turn in the possible outcome at the deadline. "The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for another wide receiver and have been inquiring about players available at the position," Pauline wrote. "Two names I am hearing as trade targets are Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins and Calvin Ridley of the Tennessee Titans." Up until this point, the Dolphins have made it known that they were not open to a trade at the deadline. That likely changes with a change at general manager, and the move signals a bigger rebuild in the making. At 26 years old and a former first-round pick, he is likely their player with the highest price tag, but could also be their easiest to trade. Several teams are looking for a wideout, including the Steelers. What might give Pittsburgh the advantage is that they've been willing to make some splash moves this season. What Would Steelers-Dolphins Trade Look Like? Waddle already has three 1,000-yard seasons in the NFL, and is on pace to add another in 2025. With 586 yards and four touchdowns, he'd lead the Steelers in yards by 125 yards over DK Metcalf. He'd be second on the team in receiving touchdowns. The Steelers would need to give up a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to open the conversation for Waddle. The Dolphins would be foolish not to push for a second or third round selection for a young wideout who's been producing. The Steelers shouldn't budge, though. Giving themselves a young wideout to finalize their room for the future is precisely what they need. Waddle is easily their best option, and therefore, they should hope the door has reopened and be willing to make another splash to land him.
Reunion? Vikings Projected To Bring Back Franchise Leader
The Minnesota Vikings have a question mark at the quarterback position, and they could turn an old friend in Kirk Cousins to help keep their season afloat. After entering the season with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy under center, Minnesota turned to veteran Carson Wentz after the second-year passer suffered an ankle injury. While McCarthy is back, Wentz is done for the season, and Minnesota could use a veteran passer to provide some competition for their untested starter. With the trade deadline right around the corner, NFL.com’s Kevin Patra believes the Vikings should trade for current Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins. While he’s currently in the NFC South, Cousins spent a sizable portion of his career with the Vikings and could be a smart add for the right price. Vikings, Falcons Linked In Kirk Cousins Trade Rumor Kirk Cousins has not justified his contract with the Atlanta Falcons, but the former fourth-round pick looked like a top 10-15 quarterback during his time with the Minnesota Vikings. From 2018 to 2022, the Michigan State product completed 67.9% of his passes for 23,265 yards, 171 touchdowns, and 55 interceptions while competing in one of the league’s more consistently competitive divisions. That version of Cousins may be gone, as the veteran never looked like himself after his 2023 Achilles injury, but he knows how to play in this offense and has an extensive rapport with head coach Kevin O’Connell and superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. If nothing else, his knowledge of the offense could make him an invaluable resource to a young quarterback like McCarthy. Of course, there is the chance that the Vikings want to start Kirk Cousins in the back half of the season. McCarthy only played two games in 2025, but he looked awful in both of them and probably didn’t need this long to recover from his ankle injury. While it’s too early to give up on the young passer, it can’t hurt to have a Plan B, especially since the Vikings play in a remarkably competitive NFC North. This team needs another veteran quarterback, but is Kirk Cousins the right choice for them? Trade Complications The biggest issue with a potential Kirk Cousins reunion with the Vikings is his contract. The quarterback signed a massive four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons in the 2024 offseason, and while most of the guaranteed money is already given out, the Vikings would still be taking on a decent financial commitment. Chances are, Atlanta would need to eat a sizable portion of the contract to facilitate a trade. Additionally, Kirk Cousins isn’t good at football anymore. While he was playing some of his best football in 2023, he hasn’t looked the same since suffering his Achilles injury. The 37-year-old had the opportunity to re-establish his value last week, and he fell flat on his face. Filling in for an injured Michael Penix against a bad Miami Dolphins defense, Cousins finished the night completing 21 of his 31 attempts for just 173 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. Put simply, nobody will want to trade for Kirk Cousins and his contract when he looks like a shell of himself. If the Vikings want a veteran quarterback, they’d probably be better off trading for Russell Wilson.
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