Valtteri Bottas confirms next drive for 2025 after losing Sauber F1 seat

Having been replaced astatine Sauber for the 2025 Formula 1 play by Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, Valtteri Bottas is apt to instrumentality to Mercedes arsenic a reserve but besides plans to contention astatine 1 event

Valtteri Bottas has signed up for adjacent March's Race of Champions aft losing his spot connected the Formula 1 grid.

The Finn has been regenerate astatine Sauber who person decided alternatively to spell with an all-new operator line-up for 2025. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto volition spouse seasoned racer Nico Hulkenberg, leaving Bottas seatless.

But fans volition inactive get to spot him successful racing enactment adjacent March successful Australia. A week earlier the F1 play begins successful Melbourne, Bottas volition beryllium recovered astir 500 miles to the north-east successful Sydney, competing astatine the Race of Champions.

The astir caller 2 editions of the lawsuit person been held connected a snowfall and crystal way successful bluish Sweden. The 2025 moving volition instrumentality spot connected a specially-constructed asphalt way wrong Sydney's 83,500-capacity Accor Stadium.

Bottas volition vie successful the contention for the 2nd time, having erstwhile 1 fractional of a formidable Finnish duo alongside two-time F1 champion Mika Hakkinen successful 2023. Next year's squad lawsuit volition instrumentality spot connected Friday, March 7 earlier the idiosyncratic contention the pursuing day.

The 35-year-old volition not beryllium the lone large sanction gunning to beryllium crowned 'Champion of Champions'. Retired four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel has already been confirmed for the competition, and volition again beryllium representing Germany alongside Mick Schumacher, who besides missed retired connected a spot connected the 2025 grid.

Other large names signed up see rally fable and past victor Sebastien Loeb, Australian Supercars grounds champion Jamie Whincup and rallycross icon Johan Kristoffersson. A British introduction to the lawsuit has yet to beryllium confirmed. Former F1 racer David Coulthard drove for the United Kingdom past time, alongside three-time W Series victor Jamie Chadwick.

Bottas volition beryllium a fashionable contestant successful Sydney having been adopted arsenic an honourary Australian successful caller years. His narration with the state was archetypal boosted done his girlfriend, Tiffany Cromwell, a nonrecreational roadworthy and gravel cyclist who was calved and grew up successful the suburbs of Adelaide.

He further endeared himself to fans Down Under with his mullet haircut, done drinking VB brew which is produced successful Melbourne and with a hilarious promotional video for Uber Rideshare earlier this year, successful which helium showed fans astir his 'car' - a Holden Ute pickup - which had a bid of antithetic Australia-themed add-ons.

Despite signing up for the Race of Champions, the 10-time F1 race-winner has nary involvement successful giving up his vocation successful the apical motorsport class successful the world conscionable yet. Mirror Sport understands Bottas is apt to instrumentality to Mercedes arsenic a reserve operator pursuing his Sauber exit, with a presumption to getting backmost onto the grid successful the future.