Zhou and Bottas out, Bortoleto joins Hulkenberg at Sauber in 2025
F1 NewsWednesday, 06 November 2024 at 09:27
The Sauber Stake F1 Team today confirmed that their current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will depart the team at the end of this season with Gabriel Bortoleto teammate to Nico Hulkenberg.
Sauber announced the signing of Brazilian driver Bortoleto on Wednesday to complete the future Audi Formula 1 team's driver line-up for 2025. The Swiss-based team had earlier announced the departure of Finland's Bottas and Chinese driver Guanyu at the end of the season.
Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026, announced in April that German driver Nico Hulkenberg - currently at Haas - will race for them next season.
Sauber released a statement on X: "After open and constructive discussions with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, we mutually concluded that conditions to continue together could not be met so we agreed that it is time to part ways.
"We would like to thank both for the contribution they have made to the team in the last three years. They have been the embodiment of professionalism, using their experience and enthusiasm to support our growth," the statement concluded.
The announcement does not come as a surprise. Zhou in particular has not impressed in his three seasons in Formula 1. However, the release of Bottas, a ten-time Grand Prix winner, is eye-brow-raising as the team have journeyman, podiumless veteran Nico Hulkenberg signed for 2025 and 2026.
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