Feeling betrayed, the Finnish driver bid farewell to Sauber and, potentially, to his career in F1 as no team has space for him on the grid. This development seems to stem from leadership changes within the Audi organization.
After 12 seasons in Formula 1, evaluating Valtteri Bottas’ career is not as straightforward as it might appear. While he didn’t establish himself as a fierce competitor, particularly during his years at Mercedes, he wasn’t a “slow” driver either. As a promising young talent, he achieved nine podium finishes with Williams, adding to the 58 he later earned with Mercedes.
Securing 20 pole positions—many against a legend like Lewis Hamilton—and claiming 10 victories is no small feat. However, his last three years with Sauber appear to have dulled his shine, as the car’s performance declined year after year. According to Valtteri Bottas, Frédéric Vasseur’s departure to Ferrari marked a significant negative turning point in his career.
Valtteri Bottas: Fred Vasseur‘s Role and Audi’s Betrayal
After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas shared insights about his move to Sauber and the team’s management: “Joining Sauber was a mistake. But you can’t predict the future. The first year started well, but it’s been uphill ever since. I just want to ensure my next step is the right one. Hopefully, better times are ahead.”
“Fred [Vasseur] played a key role. There was a clear plan with objectives for three years and a strategy to achieve them,” Valtteri Bottas explained, as reported by *Autosport*. “But those plans and goals were scrapped when he left. We had a good relationship and clear targets, but the situation changed drastically.”
“I had an option in my contract that if Fred left, I could leave too. But once Audi’s involvement was confirmed, I was repeatedly told that I would be a cornerstone of the project. Well, that didn’t happen.”
Leave a Reply