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Sauber Motorsport COO and CTO Mattia Binotto admits it was a tough decision to replace Valtteri Bottas with Gabriel Bortoleto in 2025. Bortoleto was announced on Wednesday morning, finalizing an al…
Sauber Motorsport COO and CTO Mattia Binotto acknowledged the difficulty in replacing Valtteri Bottas with Gabriel Bortoleto in 2025. The lineup for next season will feature the Brazilian rookie Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg, leaving no place for the 35-year-old Bottas. Despite being a main contender for the vacancy, Bottas was not selected as it was deemed the right time to introduce a young driver in preparation for the Audi F1 transformation. Both sides, including Bottas, understood and agreed that their future plans did not align, leading to the decision for Bottas not to race in Formula 1 in 2025. Bottas expressed gratitude for the experiences and support during his time with the team, while expressing excitement for the future and what lies ahead.
