Valtteri Bottas Axed as Audi-Sauber Shifts to Youth with Bortoleto
Nov.6 - Audi-owned Sauber has informed Valtteri Bottas that he will not be retained for 2025.
That is the claim of a rising number of authoritative media sources, including La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy and Germany's Sport1 broadcaster.
Those and other sources, like the respected German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, say Nico Hulkenberg will instead be paired by Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, 20, having apparently been fully released from McLaren's driver academy.
"In terms of McLaren, we will not stop the possibility for Gabriel to drive in Formula 1," said McLaren team boss Andrea Stella.
As for 34-year-old Bottas, he admitted recently that if he is ousted by Sauber, he may return to Mercedes to serve as reserve driver to George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli.
Interestingly, when asked for his opinion, Hulkenberg said his current Haas teammate, Kevin Magnussen, would "definitely" be a solid pick for Audi-Sauber next year.
"I think we are already a very well-functioning combination with the right focus and mutual respect," he told Ekstra Bladet newspaper. "Also in terms of engineering and what we want from the car.
"When it clicks for him, he is very strong and very fast," the German added.
Former AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost, meanwhile, hit back at the rising rumours about Bortoleto, believing that Mick Schumacher would have been a better choice.
"Bortoleto is a risky decision," he told Sport1. "He has done a good job in the junior classes so far, but the jump to Formula 1 is huge.
"The cars are relatively easy to drive in dry conditions, but in the rain like what we saw in Sao Paulo, you saw what happened to the other highly praised junior drivers like Oliver Bearman. Franco Colapinto even had two serious accidents, costing Williams millions.
"Politically speaking, it would also be an extremely unfortunate decision," added Tost, referring to Audi's apparent decision to spurn an all-German lineup.
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Finally. A little over three months since Sainz's Williams move announcement & ultimately fully expected for a few days.
I'm looking forward to how he fares in F1 & next season will have quite a few rookies, so a nice mixture, & possibly still one more becoming a full-time driver, depending on the Red Bull situation, i.e., Isack Hadjar.
Consequently, next season will be the first since 1988 not to feature a single Finnish driver.
Based on what I read in Joe Saward's second-to-most recent Green Notebook post, Mick & Vesti would continue as reserve drivers, so Mercedes doesn't have any space for Bottas regarding this capacity anymore.
So you were wrong in the end
Yes, but while I believed Bottas would continue, I also never ruled out the opposite possibility that eventually became true.
A cheap signing for a years drive, 2025 doesn't matter to Audi
Maybe a cheap signing, but he'll join on a multi-year deal, so definitely in Audi's long term plans when everything truly matters to them.
So what Audi are happy with for the next 2-3yrs are a guy whose never won anything and a beginner, yep that sounds like Audis long term plan Not..!
From what I've understood, Binotto implied on/around the US GP weekend that Audi would only sign for a multi-year deal regardless of who, but of course, things can change in the longer term, depending on how he performs.
I think Audi were wrongfooted like Merc when Lucy said she was off,, they were only left to sign Antonelli, Audi wanted a proven No 1 driver , hence why they went after Carlos, after he said no, Imo it didnt really matter who was in the car, because VB nearly got resigned, and obv money wasnt an issue for the right driver ala Carlos, so if it doesnt matter whose in the car why not save a few $$, afterall neither will go anywhere in the 25 car, and Multi year deals mean options so empty words really, but we will see, maybe the 25 Saudi will be a reg points scoring car and Laura will win her 7th title in a red dress.
Valid points below.
I mean above, the last response.
Come on! Stay awake, it would Hamilton's eighth official F1 drivers title Shroppyfly...
Great to see a Brazilian driver on the grid again!
There are way too many English drivers next season...
There can never be too many English anything. God save King Charles.
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