Bottas and Zhou to leave Stake F1 as team confirm decision to part ways

As Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber announces its driver line-up for 2025 and beyond, the team extends its heartfelt gratitude to Valtteri Bottas. These past three years together have brought profound changes to the organization, marked by remarkable achievements.

Valtteri, who joined the team following a successful five-year stint with Mercedes, where he secured ten race wins, made an immediate impact on the Hinwil-based squad. His contributions were instrumental in a series of successes during the 2022 season, culminating in a sixth-place finish in the championship.

Within the driver line-up, Valtteri has been a driving force, elevating both his teammate and the team with his unparalleled experience, enthusiasm, invaluable technical insights and fighting spirit.

Valtteri Bottas: "A situation like this is never easy for anyone. But after all the good and in-depth discussions we had in the past weeks, we realised that the conditions to grow this project together were not met. These past years with the team have been an incredible journey, full of growth, challenges, and unforgettable moments. I’m grateful for the joint experiences as well as the trust and support I’ve felt every step of the way. Though it’s time to move on, I’ll always carry a piece of this team with me, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us both.”

Mattia Binotto, COO & CTO, Sauber Motorsport AG: “We extend our deepest gratitude to Valtteri for the past three years together. He has been the embodiment of professionalism, using his vast experience to support the team’s growth. Valtteri’s dedication and approach have been invaluable during a pivotal time in our history, and the memories of these years will stay with us for a long time. In considering our driver line-up for the coming seasons, Valtteri was unquestionably 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 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.”

Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber also announces that driver, Zhou Guanyu, will leave the team at the end of the 2024 season, after three years spent with the Hinwil squad. Zhou had an exciting journey that began at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, where he made an immediate impression on the world of Formula One with points on his debut, and saw the Chinese driver help the team to its best result in a decade – P6 in the 2022 season.

Joining as a rookie, Zhou formed a strong partnership with team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, as the duo mixed experience and youthful enthusiasm. Zhou’s learning curve was steep, but the Shanghai-born driver made quick progression and went on to establish himself as a reliable performer and an exciting driver with a knack for attacking.

Among the highlights of his stint with the team, Zhou’s most memorable moment was taking part in his first home Grand Prix, the Chinese GP in 2024. In front of a bumper crowd, he delivered one of his best performances, narrowly missing out on the points in the Sprint Race and battling until the final corner in the main event – to be rewarded with a standing ovation by the crowd on the main grandstand, a truly emotional moment.

Zhou made an impact off track as well: his sense of style and passion for fashion made him a reference for the F1 style guide: he helped attract a young and stylish audience to the sport and quickly became an icon for established and new fans alike.

With three races still to run in the 2024 season, Zhou and the team will try their best to finish this journey in the most successful way possible: there’s a job to do, and everyone in the team is determined to get it done in the best manner.

Zhou Guanyu: "I will leave the team at the end of the season, but I am fully committed to finishing the season in style. I am grateful to the team for giving me a chance in Formula One: this is not an easy sport for rookies, but the team has allowed me to grow so much over these three years. China, earlier this season, was without doubt a highlight, but so many moments, both in public and behind the scenes, are what I am going to remember from the last three years. I’ll now focus on the next step in my career: I still have plenty of fight left in me and I am keen to continue progressing.”

Mattia Binotto, COO & CTO, Sauber Motorsport AG: “The last three years have seen our team grow significantly on and off the track, and both Valtteri and Zhou have played a big role in this progression. At this time, however, following our discussion with Zhou, we have decided that our future lies in different places. We are grateful to Zhou for the last three years, for the commitment and the hunger he has shown from the first moment he drove for us to today. Scoring points on debut and helping the team to P6 in 2022 was a statement of intent, but so was his contribution off track and at the factory. We want to celebrate our journey together with three strong races to finish this season, and both the team and Zhou are committed to giving everything in Las Vegas, Doha and Abu Dhabi together.”