Sauber has decided to part ways with Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou at the end of this racing season. The duo, who teamed up in 2022, will not continue after Audi’s takeover.
The team, now known as Stake F1 but soon to be Audi, confirmed early in 2024 that Nico Hulkenberg is set to join their ranks next season. This means both Bottas and Zhou are out of the picture for the upcoming year.
Changes in the Driver Lineup
Initially, there was talk about Bottas keeping a seat for another year. Swiss media outlet Blick even hinted that he might have signed a contract for this season. However, with only one spot left open for 2025 within Red Bull’s VCARB family, it seems neither Bottas nor Zhou will stay in Formula 1.
Rumor has it that Gabriel Bortoleto, a promising Formula 2 driver and McLaren development talent, might step into one of those seats next year. Yet, Mattia Binotto, Sauber’s COO and CTO, expressed patience in making decisions. He mentioned to Corriere della Sera that they are also considering Mick Schumacher.
Fans might wonder if these changes will bring fresh energy or just more uncertainty to the team.
While some speculate about new faces joining the grid, others ponder what lies ahead for Bottas and Zhou. What do you think?
