Valtteri Bottas reveals brand new tattoo as axed Sauber star teases next move

has revealed a new tattoo on his left thigh, reading 'What's next?'. The Finnish racer is yet to announce his next move after being dropped by for the 2025 season but has been teasing fans over the past week.

Bottas has dominated Sauber team-mate Zhou Guanyu this season in almost every possible metric, but that wasn't enough to convince Mattia Binotto to hand the 10-time Grand Prix winner a contract extension for 2025 and beyond.

The 34-year-old has been locked into talks with his current employers for nearly 12 months, but the two parties were unable to reach an agreement. Instead, Formula Two points leader Gabriel Bortoleto will join Nico Hulkenberg at the Hinwil-based outfit in 2025.

With Bottas' next step unconfirmed, the Finnish racer has posted a series of videos on his social media channels, all connected by the 'What's next? theme. The first video showed the former Mercedes driver enjoying a range of sports, from yoga to snorkelling, while on holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Then, Bottas captured the attention of the sporting world, completing an Ironman triathlon within his holiday villa. He swam 3800 metres in the modest swimming pool on site before hopping onto the Peloton bike for a 180-kilometre cycle ride. He finished it off with a treadmill marathon, completing the jaw-dropping physical challenge in under 11 hours.

The Finn continued his 'What's next?' adventure, filming himself and a friend popping into a tattoo parlour. Bottas grimaced through the pain before revealing his new ink - the words "What's next?" on his left thigh.

While it is unclear whether Bottas will continue his wild adventures, his motorsport prospects look relatively simple. With only a seat at VCARB remaining on the 2025 grid, full-time F1 racing next year is essentially out of the question.

Bottas has been heavily linked with a return to his former team Mercedes in a test and reserve role that would allow him to stay in the paddock in 2025. This would make it easier for him to negotiate with teams should any opportunities arise.

If Bottas is unable to replicate the feat of Hulkenberg and return from the F1 wilderness to find a full-time drive, the Finn will most likely look towards ≈. He expressed a desire to experience America's premier open-wheel series earlier this year, although will likely wait until 2026 to make the leap.