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By Nelson Espinal
Contributing Sports Reporter
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According to reports, Alpine reached out to Mercedes' reserve driver, Valtteri Bottas, about his availability.
Bottas played a key role in Mercedes winning several Constructors' titles. He is well-travelled around the grid, racing for Sauber in a three-season stint.
As Audi is taking over, Sauber made the move to replace Bottas with the German veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg.
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Bottas decided to stay in the sport and join Mercedes again.
With a new set of regulations coming in the upcoming season, he is eyeing a seat for the new cars.
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In an early June interview, Bottas revealed talks between Alpine and his team.
"I think probably there has been some discussions," Bottas explained on F1's "Beyond the Grid."
"I haven't really been involved, but I do have a management team who are always in the background seeing what is out there. They do have a Mercedes power unit for the future, which I think is a good call.
"They're on their second driver this year and I think the next races will show how that goes. Again, I think on a struggle street, let's say, experience can always help.
"But there's lots of politics in this sport. I don't have tens of millions to pay for a seat. Depends on the team but I do have some personal partners that could potentially join me, but still, not to an extent to some others. Let's wait and see a few races and see how things go. You never know if something opens up."
Bottas offers a steady, experienced pair of hands behind the wheel. He is familiar with the Mercedes power unit and knows how to get familiar with a new engine formula.
Mercedes is reportedly willing to help Bottas make the move to Alpine happen, especially since there is a new partnership between his current team and the French organization.
Alpine's current driver situation alongside Pierre Gasly remains muddled, leaving the door open for Bottas.
Gasly is, without a doubt, the team's lead driver whom they are building around for the future. He is a consistent driver who delivers results and pushes any car he drives further up the grid.
Colapinto came over from Williams during the offseason as the reserve driver for a big fee. Despite the expense, Alpine featured Jack Doohan in the second seat of the team, opting to reward a driver from the French team's academy.
After not impressing in the leadership, Doohan was given the axe by Alpine in the first half of the season. They promoted Colapinto to the second seat, but through five races, he still hasn't scored a point yet.
Alpine's car isn't one of the best on the grid - Gasly has only finished in the points once during Colapinto's scoreless streak.
They are still backing Colapinto for the rest of the season. He is continuing to drive for the team on a race-by-race basis.
While not the flashiest option, Bottas can help get Alpine back into the midfield amid its run of poor results.
He will give specific feedback on car development and knows what teams need in order to win.
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