Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas posted an emotional video after being sacked by the Swiss-based team for the 2025 season. The Brazilian Rookie driver and F2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto will replace him in the Audi-owned team. Valtteri Bottas came into the team after George Russell replaced him at the Mercedes F1 team alongside Lewis Hamilton. He and Lewis Hamilton were very successful for the Mercedes team but as part of moving forward Mercedes replaced him and he moved to the Sauber Team (then Alfa Romeo).
"Everyone that is a racing driver is dreaming of becoming a Formula One driver one day"
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) November 6, 2024
🔗 Get to know our 2025 driver on our YouTube channel: https://t.co/AP0pXtl3jW pic.twitter.com/4wBG0nbn5W
After 3 years driving for them now he will move on and give way to the young Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto. Both he and Zhou Guanyu will be leaving the Sauber F1 team by the end of this year. They will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.
After three years at @stakef1team_ks we decided to part ways. I want to take this opportunity to thank each & everyone in the team, everyone I’ve worked with, and especially you guys out there for the support then, now and in the future 🫶
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) November 6, 2024
Looking forward for what’s to come!… pic.twitter.com/TBe6afRp36
The Sauber F1 team is managed by the ex-Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto. It will be named as Audi F1 team for the 2026 season. The Finnish driver said “Hi everyone, I guess you might have seen the news that I won't be racing in Formula 1 with Stake F1 team Kick Sauber in 2025. I wanted to just take this opportunity to thank you all for all the support out there in the past and now in the future. And also big thanks to the team for everything. When one door closes another door opens and I'm excited for the future and what's next.”
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What next for Valtteri?
🚨 Valtteri Bottas is set to rejoin Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2025 season.
— F1_MercHub (@MercedesF1_Hub) November 6, 2024
[@KemalSengulll] pic.twitter.com/DG3H1hdXmb
Valtteri Bottas will be mostly moving to his former team Mercedes as a reserve driver. The 2025 drivers lineup is almost complete with only a seat remaining at the VCARB F1 team for Liam Lawson’s Place. The New Zealander will mostly have a seat next year in any of the Red Bull-owned teams. Bottas has only one option which is going back to his former team as a reserve driver for the next season and hoping for good in the 2026 season as the new engine regulations kick in.