Bottas to leave Stake/Audi and should return to Mercedes

Valtteri Bottas and Stake F1, it's over. The Finn, who joined the team, which was then called Alfa Romeo, in 2022, will therefore not compete in a fourth season with Sauber. He should quickly bounce back to Mercedes, as a reserve.

The announcement of Bottas' upcoming departure coincides with the end of a season where his team, which will officially become Audi in 2026, has so far failed to score a single point in 21 Grands Prix. In this context, and with the recent arrival of Mattia Binotto at the helm of Sauber, the desire to make a clean sweep of the past and start again on new bases has apparently prevailed.

Because in fact, with the already long-announced recruitment of Nico Hülkenberg and the change of management, as well as the future arrival of Jonathan Wheatley as team director from 2025, the Audi project wishes to reverse the disastrous trend results recorded since the start of the current regulatory era by the structure based in Hinwil, Switzerland.

The future of Bottas was ultimately one of the last important issues on the table since it was already clear that Zhou Guanyu, even if it was also made official this Wednesday morning, would not extend the adventure . The Finn, who had his experience of the discipline and a rather decent season on his side, was competing for the 2025 seat with several drivers, including Gabriel Bortoleto.

Last week, Motorsport.com reported that an agreement had been reached in the Interlagos paddock and that the Brazilian, driver from McLaren's junior program and currently leader of F2, was in all likelihood going to be Bottas' replacement. The confirmation of the latter's departure leaves no real doubt about the continuation of events, with an announcement which should come in the coming hours.

“Such a situation is never easy for anyone”said Bottas about the end of collaboration with Sauber. “But after all the good, in-depth discussions we had over the last few weeks, we realized that the conditions to grow this project together were not there. These last years with the team have been an incredible adventure, full of growth , challenges and unforgettable moments I am grateful for the shared experiences and for the trust and support I felt every step of the way. Although it is time to move on, I will always keep a part of. this team with me, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us both.”

As for Mattia Binotto, he added: “We express our deep gratitude to Valtteri for the three years we spent together. He has been the epitome of professionalism, putting his vast experience to work for the team's growth. Valtteri's dedication and approach have been invaluable to the during a pivotal period in our history, and the memories of these years will remain with us for a long time.”

“When we considered the composition of our driver duo for the coming seasons, Valtteri was undoubtedly a key candidate. With his fighting spirit, he often pushed the car beyond its performance limits. However, a decision had to be made After open and constructive discussions, we mutually concluded that the final conditions could not be met and therefore agreed that it was time to part ways. The door will always be open for Valtteri here in Hinwil. .”

At the end of his time of ups and downs at Mercedes, Bottas found refuge with Alfa Romeo. After a rather promising start to the 2022 season, with seven top 10s in nine GPs, the team having been one of the few to manage to manufacture a car at minimum weight, performances quickly stagnated, so much so that forays into the points have become rarer. Bottas finished the season tenth among the drivers, with 49 points on the clock.

The dynamics of the 2022 season will only continue in 2023, where Bottas, who will only register 10 units in total, will sometimes even struggle against his teammate Zhou, for what will be the last year under the flag of 'Alfa Romeo. The 2024 financial year has so far been even worse, this time under the identity of Stake F1, with the worst performing car in the field and therefore no points scored in 21 races and five sprints so far.

According to information from Motorsport.comdiscussions between Bottas and Mercedes to see the Finn return to the fold of the German manufacturer have been underway for several weeks. If the team already has its starting duo for 2025, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, the experience that Bottas can offer both as a reserve and as a test or simulator driver could be interesting, especially at a time when the teams are much less reluctant to use their reserve pilots.