F1 race winner Bottas labels his Sauber profession ‘a mistake’ after tough 2024

Valtteri Bottas has given a damning evaluation of his three-year stint with Sauber following his tough finale on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

After a collision with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen ended his race on the Yas Marina Circuit prematurely, 35-year-old Bottas merely stated his transfer to Sauber in 2022 “was a mistake,” earlier than including, “However we will’t predict the long run.” 

Talking after the Abu Dhabi GP, Bottas famous how “every thing began off properly within the first 12 months, however since then, it was [all] downhill.”

He defined how a lot of his determination to affix Sauber following a massively profitable five-year tenure with Mercedes was all the way down to the presence of then- Sauber group boss Fred Vasseur. 

“There was a transparent plan for targets for the three years, and in addition tips on how to get there. However these plans and targets went into the bin when he left,” Bottas added, noting that they “had a very good relationship.” 

Not that Bottas needed to put any blame on Vasseur, admitting that “for a group principal, you probably have an opportunity to go to Ferrari, you go.”

Vasseur left Sauber in January 2023 to take over as Ferrari group boss following the departure of now Sauber chief technical officer Mattia Binotto. 

Bottas revealed that after Vasseur’s departure to the Scuderia was confirmed, he did take into account leaving the group, however was satisfied by their incoming house owners, German producer Audi, to stay.

“I did have an choice that if Fred goes, I can go, however I used to be then, as soon as Audi was confirmed, I used to be all the time instructed I’d be a pillar for the undertaking,” he stated, including, “Nicely, that did not occur.”

Of their sole season collectively at Sauber, then referred to as Alfa Romeo, Bottas was a top-10 common, ending a excessive of fifth at Imola and ending the 12 months in tenth place with 49 factors.

However as soon as Vasseur departed for Italy, issues rapidly turned bitter on the Swiss group. Bottas solely reached the top-10 thrice in 2023, dropping to scoring solely 10 factors for the season.

The scenario then nosedived in 2024, with Bottas failing to attain a single level for the primary time in his profession.

It wasn’t simply Bottas who struggled. Following six top-10s between 2022 and 2023, teammate Zhou Guanyu scored the group’s solely factors of the 2024 season with an eighth-placed end in Qatar. Because of this, Kick Sauber completed the 12 months final within the constructors championship.

Bottas and Zhou are each set to hit free company this offseason, with veteran Nico Hulkenberg and reigning F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto taking their seats for the group’s remaining season earlier than it takes on the Audi identify.

As for Bottas, his future stays unconfirmed, though it has been reported that he appears more likely to return to Mercedes as a reserve in 2025. However this will not be the top of Bottas as a starter in F1, with Cadillac set to affix the grid in 2026 and Bottas admitting he has his eye on potential “alternatives” to return.

“That is what I hope so, and that is the goal. I feel there might be, there might be alternatives. However for that, I nonetheless must maintain driving, make sure that I get some testing. Be concerned,” he added.