P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Bottas says Hamilton’s Ferrari switch will "escalate" F1 driver market movement
“Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes has sparked excitement in the driver market for the 2025 season, at a time when it seemed to be slowing down due to recent contract extensions for drivers like Leclerc and Norris. Verstappen is currently committed to Red Bull until 2028. Mercedes now needs to find a replacement for Hamilton, which is challenging given the timing and the availability of desirable drivers. Bottas, whose contract with Sauber ends in 2024, expressed surprise at Hamilton’s move to Ferrari but believes it is a great opportunity for him. Bottas also mentioned that there are no hard feelings and that a return to Mercedes is a possibility, but his priority lies with the Sauber/Audi project. However, he is open to joining other teams if the Audi project doesn’t work out.”
