After Sauber announced yesterday that he would separate from Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu of 2025, Bottas delivered a heartfelt farewell message on social media, which ended on a humorous note when the camera panned back to reveal him standing in his boxers.

In the race for Sauber’s final spot in 2025, Bottas had hoped to land a full-time role, but the team, looking ahead to its 2026 transition under Audi ownership, ultimately decided to prioritize youth over experience.

Sauber CEO and CTO Mattia Binotto selected F2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto, considering his potential best suited the team’s future vision. This decision hints at Sauber’s inclination to balance fresh talent with proven experience, with veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg, currently with Haas, also set to join the team next year.

Binotto explained that the former Mercedes driver was a “key candidate” in the selection process but did not meet the “final conditions” for a contract extension. he told the media:

“When considering our driver line-up for the coming seasons, Valtteri was undoubtedly a key candidate. With his fighting spirit, he frequently pushed the car beyond its performance limits.

“However, a decision had to be made. After open and constructive discussions, we mutually concluded that the final conditions could not be met, so we agreed that it is time to part ways. Valtteri will always have an open door here in Hinwil.”

In a farewell message to X fans, Bottas emotionally reflected on his three-year journey with the Hinwil team. Just when the video appears to take on a sincere tone, a humorous twist develops as the camera zooms out, revealing Bottas in his usual cheerful style. Bottas said:

“Hello everyone, I assume you have seen the news that I will not be competing in Formula 1 with the Kicksauber Stake F1 team in 2025. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for all the support you have given me, in the Past, now and in the future. And also many thanks to the team for everything.

“I mean, when one door closes, another opens. And I’m actually very excited about the future and what’s next.”

The opportunity Bottas could be referring to could be a reserve driver position for Mercedes, the team he competed for between 2017 and 2025. The Finn revealed two weeks ago that he was open to returning to the “Mercedes family” as a reserve driver. role if he did not find another opportunity to compete full-time on the F1 grid. Mercedes has also teased his possible signing with his photo in X. If the speculation is true, we could expect an announcement soon.