After a disappointing last season with Alfa Romeo, Valtteri Bottas is aiming for a new beginning in 2024 with Sauber, piloting a fully revamped Formula 1 vehicle. Completing an uphill battle, the team decided to part ways with Alfa Romeo and restructured under the Sauber banner with the anticipation of brighter prospects. Bottas scored only 10 points through the entire run of the 2023 campaign.
A big change is being signaled by Sauber, who was previously running the team under the Alfa Romeo label. However, they are now taking on a more prominent role in team leadership. With the purchase of Sauber by Audi, the Italian outfit’s association came to an end. Nevertheless, Sauber will not be operating under the name of the German constructors up until the 2026 season.
Is Valtteri Bottas on the verge of losing his F1 seat?
Sauber wishes to make amends after a disappointing season in which they finished ninth in the constructors’ championship. For the 2024 season, the team will retain its driver lineup, which includes the Finnish driver and his teammate, Zhou Guanyu. It is a golden opportunity for Bottas to extend his contract with Audi in 2026 with an enhanced performance in the forthcoming campaign.
🚨 | Valtteri Bottas on his future:
“The team has not yet decided the driver pairing for after next year.
“I hope we can find a little more pace, and I get a car I can do something with.” [@MSM_Online] pic.twitter.com/4r4nAIofY8
— formularacers (@formularacers_) December 16, 2023
Regardless, it appears that the communication between the drivers and the team has not been clear. Bottas stated, “Of course, everyone knows that Audi will officially take over in 2026. But from the team side, there is no decision yet on what the driver pairing will look like after next year. I think these discussions will take place next year” in a recent interview with the media.
Acknowledging the decline in performance, Bottas scored 10 of Sauber’s 16 points in 2023, with only Haas finishing below them in the standings.
Bottas believes the changes at Sauber are the need of the hour
With faith that these adjustments are exactly what the team needs right now, Valtteri Bottas is looking forward to the winter adjustments that Sauber is implementing. The team has rebranded itself as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, which is quite a peculiar name after a new naming rights deal was announced prior to Audi’s complete acquisition in 2026.
Valtteri Bottas is hopeful about the changes incoming at Sauber over winter, as he believes an entirely new car is “exactly what we need now”.
Where do you reckon the team will finish next year? 🤔#F1 #Sauber pic.twitter.com/9D9lgm55fn
— 🏎 Formula 1 Daily (@Formula1_Daily) December 16, 2023
The Finn believes, “There’s nothing fundamental, but the good thing is we do have a completely new car with some new ideas, with new people in the team. That’s exactly what we need now, so we need to make big steps over the winter.”
Bottas recognizes that the car has to undergo quite a bit of work over the holiday season. Although he is optimistic given the continuing personnel changes and an extensive car makeover. It is anticipated that Sauber will reap the rewards from these changes in the 2024 season.