Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu leave Sauber with F2 star Gabriel Bortoleto joining Nico Hulkenberg in new 2025 line-up | F1 news

Sauber has signed Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto to complete a brand new driver line-up at the team for the 2025 season, with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both losing their places.

Nico Hulkenberg was already confirmed as part of the Audi-controlled team for next year, and so the arrival of highly-rated 20-year-old Brazilian Bortoleto to join the experienced German completes a brand new pairing for last season, before Sauber is rebranded under the name of their new owners from 2026.

Underscoring his status as a rising star, Bortoleto was signed to McLaren’s driver development program after winning the Formula 3 title last year, but will now be released from those commitments to pursue his opportunity at Sauber.

Bottas and Zhou had been in the Swiss team’s line-up since 2022, but their respective departures at the end of the season were confirmed on Wednesday morning shortly before Bortoleto’s expected signing was formally announced.

“Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver,” Sauber chief operating officer Mattia Binotto said of the highly-rated youngster, who will join current F2 rivals Oliver Bearman (Haas) and Kimi Andrea Antonelli (Mercedes) graduated to F1 this winter.

“We are very pleased that he will become a team member at Sauber and Audi. Together with Gabriel we are on a journey towards success and we will develop into a united force that will shape a new era for Audi in motorsport.

“Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth and position us strongly for the future.”

In an earlier post on X, Sauber had said that both Bottas and Zhou were let go.

“After open and constructive discussions with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, we mutually concluded that the conditions to continue together could not be met, so we agreed that it is time to part ways,” the team said.

“We would like to thank both for the contribution they have made to the team over the past three years.

“They have been the embodiment of professionalism and used their experience and enthusiasm to support our growth.”

Sitting a disappointing last in the Constructors’ Championship with just three rounds of the season remaining, Sauber are the only team yet to score a point in the 2024 campaign.

But the Audi project represents a chance for them to propel themselves up the grid from 2026 in particular.

“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsports, if not in all sports,” Bortoleto said.

“Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor. Beyond just being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity the team has given me and for the chance to work with an experienced driver like Nico. Both programs have a proven track record of nurturing young talent and I am confident that together we will write our own success story.”

Bottas loses grid spot for 2025 – could he now return to Mercedes?

While Chinese driver Zhou’s departure had been expected ever since the Swiss team announced in April that they had signed Hulkenberg, the experienced Bottas – who joined from Mercedes in 2022 – had been fighting to stay and continue his F1 career net for a 13th season in a row. .

But in separate Sauber statements announcing their current drivers’ departures after the final three rounds of this season, Bottas said: “A situation like this is never easy for anyone. But after all the good and in-depth discussions we had in recent weeks, we realized that the conditions for developing this project together were not met.”

Bottas recently confirmed he had spoken to Mercedes – where he won 10 races as teammate to Lewis Hamilton from 2017-2021 – about taking a reserve role at his former team for 2025 if a Sauber contract renewal did not materialise.

The Finn is also believed to have held talks with Alpine and former employers Williams earlier this year about their respective vacancies, but the teams pursued alternative options.

While another spot is officially open on the 2025 grid at RB, the Red Bull-owned outfit are considering several other options as they weigh up whether to also make changes to their main squad amid growing doubts over Sergio Perez’ future.

Formula 1 returns after a three-week break with the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 22-24. November, live on Sky Sports F1. Get Sky Sports F1 to watch every race and more live