Binotto on Sauber's difficult choice to boot Bottas: 'Young driver needed'

In 2025, Valtteri Bottas will no longer be in action for the Stake Sauber F1 Team. The team chose Gabriel Bortoleto as his replacement. The young Brazilian currently leads the F2 championship and will be taking the 10-time F1 winner's seat. Speaking to RACER, Mattia Binotto explained why it was chosen not to renew Bottas' contract.

For a long time this season, there has been a running discussion about who would be filling the second seat at F1 Team">Stake F1 team, better known as Sauber. Bottas was one of the candidates for the seat alongside the already-confirmed Nico Hulkenberg. There were even rumours that a contract had already been signed, but the Finn disproved this himself. In the end, the team chose the Brazilian Bortoleto, who is currently leading the Formula 2 championship.

Binotto explains why Bottas was not chosen:

The former Ferrari team principal has since explained his choice to replace Bottas: “We know that the next one will be a difficult season as a team, as a journey towards the Audi F1 transformation. It’s a long journey. I think on the duration is where we mainly reflected together a lot, and it’s where I came to the conclusion that maybe we will need to have a young driver with us.

“More than that, I would like to underline I think he has certainly been a very strong candidate. I know he’s very fast. I know that he has proven to be very fast until today, very fit, he knows the team. Certainly, he is very highly rated here, and he’s very highly rated in the paddock." The Italian concluded

This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon.