Written by Vyas Ponnuri
Finnish racer Valtteri Bottas will mutually part ways with KICK Sauber at the end of 2024, after three seasons at the Hinwil-based outfit. The team announced this news in a post thanking current pairing of Bottas and Zhou Guanyu for their services at the team.
The Finn currently sits 23rd in the Formula One standings in 2024, with teammate Zhou Guanyu only two spots ahead in 21st, with both drivers yet to open their tally for the season, having started all 21 races.
Zhou's best finish of the year came at the season opener in Bahrain, when he finished 11th, only one spot away from the points. Bottas, on the other hand, matched his best finish of 13th at the recently-concluded Brazilian Grand Prix.
A post on the team's Instagram handle read:
"After open and constructive discussions with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, we mutually concluded that conditions to continue together could not be met so we agreed that it is time to part ways. We would like to thank both for the contribution they have made to the team in the last three years."
"They have been the embodiment of professionalism, using their experience and enthusiasm to support our growth."
Zhou became the first Chinese driver to grace Formula One when he was snapped up by the Swiss marque in 2022, partnering Bottas in his debut season. While he scored a point on debut, his best moment of the season came at the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, when he qualified in the top ten and finished eighth.
Points were hard to come by for the Chinese driver, but he was able to match his P10 from Bahrain later on in Monza.
Once again, 2023 would be a tough season, yet Zhou would make use of a brilliant strategy in Qatar to back up teammate Bottas ahead, finishing ninth, and matching his best finish across the year.
While he is yet to get off the mark in 2024, an emotional first home race saw Zhou receive a grand ovation from his passionate supporters, with a finishing board on the start/finish straight at Shanghai placed solely for his KICK Sauber.
As for Bottas, his three-year stint with the team comes to an end. The Finn gave the team a strong start to their campaign in 2022, scoring as many as 46 of his 49 points in the first nine rounds of 2022. He would also take the team's best finishing position of fifth at Imola, challenging Mercedes' George Russell for fourth late in the race.
The following year proved a more difficult one for the Finn, as he accumulated ten points in an Alfa Romeo C43 restricted largely to the lower end of the midfield. He holds the wooden spoon in 2024, earning the dubious stat of sitting 23rd in the standings.
While neither driver has secured a future in the sport yet, Bottas could be set for a special reunion with former employers Mercedes, while Zhou could be pencilled in as KICK Sauber's 2025 reserve.
As for the other seat at the team, KICK Sauber are set to announce Nico Hülkenberg's partner in due course, as they prepare for their upcoming campaign in 2025, and the Audi takeover come 2026.
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