Gabriel bortoleto

Kick Sauber: Formula 1 team Kick Sauber has confirmed that long-time drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will depart after the season concludes.

This marks the end of a three-year partnership that has seen the team face numerous challenges and hard-fought battles on the track. In their place, Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto will join the team alongside experienced F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg, with Bortoleto securing a multi-year deal.

Bottas, a stalwart of the F1 grid and former Mercedes driver, is rumoured to be exploring a reserve role with Mercedes. Reflecting on his time with Sauber, he expressed both gratitude and a sense of closure. “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,” said Bottas in a statement shared by Kick Sauber.