F1 News
Bottas and Zhou react after Sauber let the teammates go!
It's official: neither Valtteri Bottas nor Guanyu Zhou will remain at Sauber, the team report. Here is how the two drivers reacted to the decision, together with COO and CTO Mattia Binotto.
Bottas grateful for the experience
Valtteri Bottas has previously said this season that he is the driving the best he ever did in Formula One, even as the team are yet to score points this season. "A situation like this is never easy for anyone. But after all the good and in-depth discussions we had in the past weeks, we realised that the conditions to grow this project together were not met. These past years with the team have been an incredible journey, full of growth, challenges, and unforgettable moments," the Finnish driver began.
"I’m grateful for the joint experiences as well as the trust and support I’ve felt every step of the way. Though it’s time to move on, I’ll always carry a piece of this team with me, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us both," he added.
Zhou's reaction
"I will leave the team at the end of the season, but I am fully committed to finishing the season in style. I am grateful to the team for giving me a chance in Formula One: this is not an easy sport for rookies, but the team has allowed me to grow so much over these three years," Zhou said.
"China, earlier this season, was without doubt a highlight, but so many moments, both in public and behind the scenes, are what I am going to remember from the last three years. I’ll now focus on the next step in my career: I still have plenty of fight left in me and I am keen to continue progressing," the driver concluded.
Binotto's verdict
While it was unlikely for Guanyu Zhou to become Nico Hulkenberg's teammate at Sauber next year, Valtteri Bottas was already rumoured to have signed a contract for 2025.
"In considering our driver line-up for the coming seasons, Valtteri was unquestionably a key candidate. With his fighting spirit, he frequently pushed the car beyond
its performance limits. However, a decision had to be made. After open and constructive discussions, we mutually concluded that final conditions could not be met so we agreed that it is time to part ways. Valtteri will always have an open door here in Hinwil," Binotto said about their decision.
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