Bottas and Zhou to Leave Sauber F1 Team

Sauber F1 team has announced that Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will leave at the end of the 2024 season, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto set to join the team in 2025. Despite discussions with Sauber's CEO Mattia Binotto, Bottas and Zhou's future in F1 remains uncertain as they have not secured any points this season. Bottas, a 10-time Grand Prix winner, expressed gratitude for his time with Sauber but acknowledged the need to move on. Gabriel Bortoleto, currently leading the F2 championship, is expected to take Bottas' seat, and his move to F1 is likely to end Bottas' 12-year F1 career. Audi, which will take over Sauber in 2026, had initially hoped to recruit Carlos Sainz, but with him joining Williams, they have focused on emerging talent like Bortoleto. Sauber's decision underscores a shift towards nurturing young talent over experienced drivers in their lineup.