F1 Veteran Valtteri Bottas Exits Sauber as Rising Star Bortoleto Takes Final 2025 Seat
Valtteri Bottas, a familiar and respected name in Formula 1, is stepping away from Sauber at the end of this season. In a significant team shuffle, the team has opted for 20-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto, a promising talent in the Formula 2 championship. This decision has effectively locked the 2025 F1 grid and introduced a fresh face to the sport’s top tier.
Bottas, who previously raced for Mercedes and achieved ten F1 victories, joined Sauber in 2022 but faced a challenging season this year without scoring any points. Despite his experience and past success, the team saw potential in Bortoleto's youth and recent performance in F2, where he currently leads the standings. Bortoleto, part of the McLaren junior program and managed by Fernando Alonso’s agency, is thrilled to join the team. He expressed his honor in representing Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026, bringing with it a legacy of German engineering prowess.
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Mattia Binotto, Sauber's team principal, shared that the decision to go with Bortoleto was due to his impressive adaptability and improvement over the F2 season. Binotto described the decision as a "no-brainer," as he saw Bortoleto as a high-potential driver whose growth on the track reflects both skill and determination. While Sauber could have gone with a seasoned driver, they concluded that a younger addition would be a better fit for their long-term ambitions, particularly as they look forward to their rebranding as Audi.
Bottas, on the other hand, had expressed hopes to remain in the F1 paddock, possibly as a reserve driver for Mercedes, where he had previously raced alongside Lewis Hamilton. His departure also follows teammate Zhou Guanyu’s, who became China’s first F1 driver but will also exit Sauber this year. Sauber praised both drivers for their dedication and professionalism, noting that the decision to part ways was reached amicably.
The shift towards younger drivers is becoming a broader trend across F1, with other teams bringing in new talents like Mercedes signing 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli and Williams promoting Franco Colapinto. This push for fresh energy and innovation is seen as essential for the sport's evolving landscape, and Sauber’s choice reflects this mindset. While Bottas’ future in F1 is uncertain, he has left a significant mark on the sport, and fans will undoubtedly follow his next moves closely.
As Sauber welcomes Bortoleto alongside Nico Hulkenberg, they aim to harness both the energy of youth and the steadiness of experience. The 2025 season now holds the promise of thrilling new talent mixing with established expertise—a combination that could redefine F1’s competitive landscape.
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