Published 18:17 IST, November 6th 2024
Kick Sauber Undergoes Major Overhaul! Bottas & Guanyu To Leave, New Drivers Named For 2025 Season
After the 2024 season, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, two of the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber's regular racers, will no longer be with the team.
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2024 Formula 1 Season has been an unpredictable one as a lot of moves have left motorsports fans startled. Be it Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari shocker or Carlos Sainz to Williams Racing, season has some erratic moves which shake it all up. Ahead of Las Vegas GP, a new move has come to light as a racing team is set for a major driver overhaul, replacing both of ir racers. Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber has anunced two huge changes as ir regular racers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will be out of team after 2024 season.
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Kick Sauber Set For Major Overhaul As Valtteri Bottas And Zhou Guanyu To Mutually Part Ways From F1 Team
Sauber has signed 20-year-old Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto, who will make his Formula One debut next year. Bortoleto will team up with Nico Hülkenberg to compete in 2025 season and possibly beyond. Signing Bortoleto, who leads Formula 2 standings with two rounds remaining, provides Sauber with a mix of youth and experience to complement 37-year-old Hülkenberg. Audi is taking over Sauber, which will be rebranded as Audi Works team in 2026.
“This is one of most exciting projects in motorsport, if t in all of sports. Joining a team that combines rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true hor.
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“Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach pinnacle of motorsport. I’m incredibly grateful for opportunity given to me by team and for chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico,” Bortoleto said in a statement.
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Bortoleto will be first full-time Brazilian driver in Formula One since Felipe Massa's retirement in 2017. He won F3 championship last season and started racing karts as a child before his family relocated to Europe.
decision means Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber's current drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, will be without an F1 seat in 2025. Neir has scored a single point this season, and Sauber's car has been largely uncompetitive. Both of m had been with Sauber since 2022. re are chances that Bottas could reportedly return to his former team, Mercedes AMG F1, in a reserve role.
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[With AP Inputs]
18:17 IST, November 6th 2024