Bottas and Zhou will leave Sauber at the end of the season

The Sauber team thanked Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou for their work and confirmed their separation after the end of the season. The team composition for next season will be announced later.

Mattia BinottoChief Operating Officer and Technical Director of Sauber Motorsport AG: “We express our deepest gratitude to Valtteri for the past three years of cooperation. He has always been the epitome of professionalism and used his wealth of experience to support the growth of the team. Valtteri’s dedication and approach were invaluable during a crucial period in our history, and the memories of these years will remain with us for a long time.

Looking at our driver line-up for the coming seasons, Valtteri was undoubtedly one of the leading candidates. Thanks to his fighting spirit, he often pushed the car beyond its limits. However, a decision had to be made. After open and constructive discussions, we came to the conclusion that the final terms could not be met, so we agreed that it was time to part ways. Here in Hinvil the doors will always be open for Valtteri.

After consulting with Zhou, we decided that our future lies in different directions. Over the past three years, we are grateful to Zhou for the dedication and struggle he has shown from the first moment he stepped behind the wheel to this day.

Scoring on his debut and helping the team finish sixth was his statement of intent and he has contributed enormously to our performance on track and in the grassroots. We want to end our journey together with three strong races at the end of the season. The team and Zhou are ready to give it their all in Las Vegas, Doha and Abu Dhabi.”

Valtteri Bottas: “This situation is not easy, but after detailed and in-depth discussions in recent weeks, we realized that the conditions for the joint development of this project were not met. The past years with the team have been an incredible adventure full of growth, challenges and unforgettable moments.

I am grateful for the shared experience and for the trust and support I felt every step of the way. Although it is time to move on, I will always carry a piece of this team with me and look forward to moving on.”

Guanyu Zhou: “I will leave the team at the end of the season, but first I will try to finish strong. I am grateful to the team for giving me a chance in Formula 1: it is a difficult sport for beginners, but the team has helped me grow enormously over the past three years.

The Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season was undoubtedly a highlight, but I will remember many of the moments that took place both in public and behind the scenes. I will now concentrate on the next step in my career: the battle is not over yet. I want to keep making progress.”