SAUBER DIDN’T CHOOSE BOTTAS BECAUSE HE WASN’T YOUNG
According to Sauber team boss Mattia Binotto, the reason why Valtteri Bottas was not chosen is because he was “old”.Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber adventure will end after the 2024 season and thus he will put an end to his Formula 1 career.
This decision was a surprise to some because Bottas was showing that he deserved his seat by openly defeating his teammate despite the slow vehicle this year.
Speaking on this subject, Sauber manager Mattia Binotto claimed that they did not choose Bottas “because of his age”.When asked why Sauber rejected Valtteri Bottas, Binotto said: “First of all, I have to say that I have a very good relationship with Valtteri. As soon as we joined the team in August, we got a good fit and trusted each other.”
“We have talked many times with Valtteri about our union, the duration of this and the challenges we may face next season. We know that 2025 will be difficult as part of the team’s transformation to Audi F1.”
“We have a very long way to go and considering the duration of this, we came to the conclusion that the team probably needs a young driver.”
“Valtteri and I have a mutual understanding of the factors.”
“In fact, I want to emphasize that Valtteri is a very strong candidate for the seat. We know it’s very fast. He is physically in perfect condition, he recognizes the team and is very respected in the paddock.”
“So it wasn’t an easy decision, but sometimes you have to make a decision.”
Bottas is expected to be the replacement driver of Mercedes soon.
