“I’m relieved that this phase of my career is over,” said Valtteri Bottas after his last race for Sauber. The Finn finished a Formula 1 season with zero points for the first time in his career and also experienced a race to forget in Abu Dhabi with two collisions, two penalties and one retirement.
The end was somewhat in keeping with his season, which was marked by disappointments, so that in retrospect Bottas also looks surprisingly bitterly on his three years in Hinwil. Because when he is asked to describe his time in the team, he says clearly: “It was a mistake.”
Bottas left the Mercedes team after the 2021 season and joined the racing team then still called Alfa Romeo, although according to his own statement he said he had “millions” of opportunities at the time.
But it was above all the then team boss Frederic Vasseur, for whom Bottas had already driven in junior series, who convinced the Finn to move to Hinwil. “There was a clear plan of goals for these three years and how we wanted to achieve them,” he says. “But those plans went into the trash when he left.”
According to Bottas, after a relatively good first year with 55 points and sixth place in the World Cup, things went downhill. Vasseur did not resist Ferrari’s temptations and joined Scuderia – a “disappointment” for Bottas, as he says. “We had a good relationship and, as I said, clear goals. And that changed a lot.”
But he doesn’t blame his former boss: “If you, as a team boss, have a chance to go to Ferrari, then you go,” says Bottas.
In fact, Bottas also had an exit clause that he could leave the team if Vasseur left, but because that happened relatively late after the 2022 season, it was already too late for him to pursue other options.
No statements were made about Audi’s future
So Bottas stayed on board for 2023 and also took advantage of his third year of contract because the prospect of a factory cockpit at Audi was appealing. “When Audi was confirmed, I was always told that I would be one of the pillars of the project,” says the Finn. “But that didn’t happen.”
Instead, Sauber is relying on Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto alongside Nico Hülkenberg next year, meaning Bottas will have to look for another option. So in the end all he had left was a transitional season in which nothing much came together for Sauber and in which they were completely without points until the penultimate race.
“You just can’t look into the future,” he says about his move back then. “It is what it is. I just have to make sure the next change is a good one. Hopefully better times will come.”
By the way: In Sauber’s official press release, he said goodbye like this: “I would like to take a moment to thank everyone in the team, everyone at Ferrari and all the supporters for their incredible support this year.”
Two collisions, two penalties
Sunday in Abu Dhabi was once again a completely forgettable day. First he sent Sergio Perez (Red Bull) into a spin on the first lap and received a ten-second penalty, later he completely cleared Haas driver Kevin Magnussen and was eliminated. The inspectors gave him a total of five penalty points for his offenses.
“It’s a shame, today really didn’t work out for me,” he complains. “It started with the incident with Checo. I was on the inside, he drove a very tight line, which of course he’s allowed to do, but I couldn’t go anywhere and got a penalty for it, which was a real shame.”
During the scene with Magnussen, he wanted to defend himself hard, “but with the old tires I simply blocked the wheels,” he says. “Kevin was just unlucky that he was there because I was just going straight.”
Postscript: “But that’s not the first disappointment.”
Grid penalty in Bottas’ next race – so never?
By the way: Because Bottas was eliminated, the commissioners handed out a grid penalty of five places in his next race – it’s quite possible that the Finn will never be able to serve this.
“Shit, maybe I can ask them to turn it into a fine,” he says. “I’ll pay the fine.”
Of course, Bottas himself still hopes that he can find his way back into the grid in 2026. “That’s the goal and I think there will be opportunities. But for that I have to keep driving and make sure I get some tests and stay involved.”
He is said to have a role as third driver at Mercedes, but his future is still unclear – but perhaps not for long. According to him, an announcement could come “maybe next week.” “But first I have to sign something.”