Valtteri Bottas is set to part ways with Sauber following the 2024 Formula 1 season. Reports suggest he is nearing an agreement to rejoin Mercedes as a reserve driver starting next year. This development comes during a challenging period for Sauber, which remains the only team yet to score points in the 2024 season.
Sauber’s Struggles and Future Plans
The Finnish driver first joined Sauber at the end of the 2021 season following his departure from Mercedes. Back then, Sauber competed under the Alfa Romeo brand. However, Sauber’s future direction has shifted dramatically with Audi’s impending entry into F1 in 2026. To align with this new vision, Sauber has begun reshuffling its drivers and management.
Driver Changes and Management Overhaul
Earlier this year, Sauber signed Nico Hulkenberg from Haas for the 2025 season. This decision anticipated the Audi rebrand, which will see Valtteri Bottas’s current teammate, Zhou Guanyu, leaving the team. Amidst these changes, Sauber has also experienced significant management shake-ups. The team brought in former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto as both the Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer. Additionally, Johnathan Wheatley, previously the sporting director at Red Bull, will take over as Sauber’s team principal come 2025.
Mercedes and Bottas: A Possible Reunion
Despite the turmoil at Sauber, Bottas has expressed hope for negotiating a new contract with the team. However, with the internal restructuring and Audi’s influence, the possibility of such an extension has diminished. These circumstances have opened up the potential for Bottas to return to Mercedes as a reserve driver, a role that would see him back with the team where he spent a significant part of his career.
The transition would align with Mercedes’ strategy of securing experienced drivers as part of their reserve pool. This move could also offer Bottas stability following a challenging tenure at Sauber.
Implications for 2025 and Beyond
As Sauber undergoes these sweeping changes, securing Hulkenberg points towards the team’s commitment to a mix of experience and strategy ahead of Audi’s F1 entry. Meanwhile, Bottas’s potential departure will mark the end of a testing period, punctuated by Sauber’s performance struggles and boardroom upheaval.
Looking ahead, if Bottas does rejoin Mercedes, the partnership could prove mutually beneficial. Mercedes would gain a reliable backup for their main drivers, while Bottas could harness his experience for potential race opportunities or development roles.
Ultimately, these developments signify a turning point not only for Sauber’s rebuilding stages but also for Bottas as he seeks to redefine his trajectory in Formula 1.
