After three seasons with Sauber, Valtteri Bottas has admitted that his decision to join the Swiss outfit in 2022 following his Mercedes exit was a "mistake."
As the dust settled on his final race with the team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Bottas reflected on a challenging chapter of his Formula 1 career that began with promise but ended in frustration.
Bottas found himself in a difficult position in September 2021 when Mercedes announced George Russell as his replacement after five years with the team. Seeking a fresh start, Bottas signed a multi-year deal with Sauber, then branded Alfa Romeo and led by Fred Vasseur.
The move seemed logical at the time, with Bottas citing a clear plan for progression and his strong relationship with Vasseur, who had guided his early career in GP3 and Euro F3.
“Fred was a big part, I used to work with him before,” Bottas explained, recounting his rationale behind his decision to move to Hinwil. “There was a clear plan and target for the three years and how to get there – but those plans went into the bin when he left.”
Bottas' Sauber tenure began on a high note. He finished sixth in his debut race with the team in Bahrain in 2022 and achieved eight more points finishes that year, helping Sauber secure sixth in the Constructors’ Championship. However, things quickly unraveled when Vasseur departed in the winter to lead Ferrari.
“We had a good relationship and clear targets. That changed a lot,” Bottas admitted. “I don't blame him [Vasseur] because if you're a team principal and have a chance to go to Ferrari, you go.”
Under new leadership from former McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl, Sauber’s trajectory shifted, and Bottas struggled to adapt. The 2023 season brought only four points finishes, and the 2024 campaign marked a career low for the Finn, with zero points scored and a 22nd-place finish in a 20-car championship.
“It was a mistake,” Bottas said bluntly. “You can't predict the future, everything started well off in the first year, since then was downhill.
“But yeah, you can't predict the future, that's how it is. Just want to make sure the next move I make is a good one – and hopefully better times to come.”
Bottas revealed that he had other options when leaving Mercedes, including a potential return to Williams, where Alex Albon has enjoyed a career resurgence.
“There was Williams at that point,” Bottas said, hinting that he might have fared better in a more stable environment.
He also had an opportunity to leave Sauber when Vasseur exited, as his contract included an escape clause. But the lure of Sauber’s future with its new owner Audi persuaded him to stay.
“I did have an option that if Fred goes, I can go but... once Audi confirmed they’re joining, I thought I’d be the pillar for the project, and well, that didn’t happen.”
Instead, Audi signed Nico Hülkenberg on a three-year deal and later opted for Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto to partner Hülkenberg in 2025.
Bottas’ hope of being a cornerstone for the Audi project faded, leaving him without a seat for the upcoming season.
Bottas’ final race with Sauber in Abu Dhabi epitomized the frustrations of his tenure. After qualifying in Q3 for the first time since April, his race unraveled early.
A collision with Sergio Perez on the opening lap earned him a 10-second penalty, and later, a lock-up saw him crash into Kevin Magnussen’s Haas, forcing Sauber to retire his car.
“It’s a shame, today really didn’t go my way,” Bottas said. “It started with the incident with Checo, I was on the inside and he took a really tight line, which he’s allowed to but I couldn’t disappear anywhere, got a penalty for it. It’s a real shame.
“[Then] I was trying to defend as hard as I could and with old tyres – and I think Kevin was just unlucky that he was where he was because I was just going straight [after locking up].”
The stewards handed Bottas a five-place grid penalty for the Magnussen incident, a sanction that will carry over if he returns to the grid in the future.
When told of the penalty, Bottas quipped: “Oh no, that’s not ideal. Maybe I can ask if they’ll change it to a fine, I’ll pay the fine.”
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