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Originally posted by xd45man:
I'm hearing that Valtteri Bottas will be replaced by Gabriel Bortleto next season. He is a 20-year-old Brazilian. I guess Harry Potter doesn’t like Valtteri.

I would post a link, but every site that says this has annoying popups.

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Sauber signs Bortoleto to 2025 F1 race seat ahead of Audi era
The F2 championship leader will make his F1 debut in 2025

Ben Vinel Nov 6, 2024 at 2:45 AM

Sauber has signed Gabriel Bortoleto to partner Nico Hulkenberg in the 2025 Formula 1 season, the veteran and rookie effectively teaming up in the future Audi squad.

Bortoleto had been courted by the Hinwil-based outfit for some time, with his ties to McLaren as an academy member the main obstacle to a deal.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella however made clear that he wouldn’t stand in his protege’s way if there were a chance for him to clinch a race drive.

Sauber therefore made the move for the 20-year-old Brazilian, having announced earlier on Wednesday that incumbents Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu were set to leave the team.

“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all of sports,” Bortoleto said. “Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honour.

“Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico.

“Both programs have a proven track record of nurturing young talent, and I am confident that together, we will write our own success story.”

Bortoleto has impressed in the last two years, winning the FIA F3 championship as a rookie in 2023. The Invicta Racing driver is now leading the Formula 2 standings with only two wins to his name but his top-six consistency proving crucial.

“Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver,” Mattia Binotto, COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport, pointed out. “We are very pleased that he will become a team member of Sauber and Audi.

“Together with Gabriel, we are on a journey towards success, and we will evolve into a unified force to shape a new era for Audi in motorsport. Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth, positioning us strongly for the future.”

Chairman of the Sauber Motorsport board Gernot Doellner added: “Led by Mattia, Audi's Formula 1 project is making great progress in many areas. The signing of the second driver is another milestone.

“We are currently witnessing a generational shift in Formula One, with young drivers immediately making an impact. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents. His signing underscores Audi's long-term strategy and commitment to Formula 1.”

Sauber is currently going through its first point-less Formula 1 season since 2014, with the team’s best result being Zhou’s 11th-place finish in the Bahrain season opener.

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There was also a rumor about Christian Horner meeting with James Volwels in Brazil about possibly buying Carlos Sainz for Red Bull

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Originally posted by Ripley:
^^^^

If Max up and leaves

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But where would he go?

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Originally posted by holdem:

But where would he go?

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Formula 1 has announced a groundbreaking season launch event at London’s The O2 – featuring all the teams, their drivers and team bosses, plus top entertainment – ahead of the 2025 campaign.

For the first time in F1 history, the entire grid of 10 teams – Alpine, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas, Kick Sauber, McLaren, Mercedes, RB, Red Bull, and Williams – and their 20 drivers and respective Team Principals will come together with fans for a special night to welcome in the new season, reveal their 2025 liveries, and mark the start of the sport’s 75th anniversary year.

This unprecedented world premiere event will take place between 2000 and 2200 GMT on February 18, 2025 at London venue The O2, and is being brought to life by creative visionary Brian Burke of BrianBurkeCreative, along with Stufish Entertainment Architects, DX7 Design and production company 1826.

BrianBurkeCreative and this world-renowned team delivered the pioneering opening and closing ceremonies for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023.

During the interactive season launch event, guests can also expect interviews with the key figures from the sport, including drivers and Team Principals, as well as top entertainment and special guest presenters.

There are three tiers of ticket pricing based on location within The O2 – from £58 to £113. These prices include booking fees (an additional transaction fee of £2.50 per order will apply) and will go on sale at 1000 GMT on Friday November 15 via theo2.co.uk/F175live.

Fans who cannot attend in person will still be able to watch the action live, with broadcast details and further event information to follow in the coming weeks.

“For the first time we will bring together our fans, all 20 superstars of our sport and some very special guests to officially kick off our new season and mark our 75th year of racing,” said Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1.

“With 2025 set to be a classic season following all the drama so far for 2024, this is a fantastic opportunity for fans of all ages to experience up-close the incredible entertainment spectacle that is Formula 1.”

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “The FIA is delighted to join our colleagues at FOM and all the teams in the staging of the inaugural Formula 1 season launch event. The occasion will also serve as a fitting prelude to a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the sport throughout the 2025 season.”

Brian Burke, Executive Producer and Creative Director for BrianBurkeCreative, added: “It’s an incredible honour to continue to partner with Formula 1 creating new entertainment experiences, especially this brand-new launch event of the 2025 season celebrating the 75th anniversary of the sport.

“Through our collaboration with all 10 teams, fans can be assured we’ll be delivering a truly exciting live experience combining the unveiling of the new liveries, interviews with the biggest names in F1, and cutting-edge entertainment. It will be a never-before-seen event not to be missed!”

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Surprise F1 exit hints at more FIA tension
Nov 12, 2024

The late-season departure of the Formula 1 race director is a very strange development for the FIA.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s organisation has had a lot of turnover in senior positions during his controversial presidency, including sporting director Steve Nielsen, technical director Tim Goss, and CEO Natalie Robyn.

Now race director Niels Wittich joins the list.

Little about it makes sense but all signs point to some kind of sudden fall-out, potentially directly between Wittich and Ben Sulayem himself.

The timing is off, with just three races left in 2024. It is also clearly a very sudden exit as it is known to have caught people in the FIA and F1 by surprise. And there has been no obvious pressure for this to happen – not like when Wittich’s predecessor Michael Masi was embroiled in controversies in 2021, culminating in the events of the Abu Dhabi season finale and the restart call that directly influenced the championship outcome.

Wittich’s time as race director has not been characterised by flashpoints. He has been an understated official, and while that does not guarantee he has been great at his job, he certainly does not have an obviously divisive reputation, let alone a poor one.

It is also not a scenario the FIA would tend to want to drop a new race director into.


Three races to go might be seen as a good chance to prepare for doing the job full-time next year but there is one championship still on the line, maybe two, and so the smooth running of the final three events is key. Pressure can still be a factor in these final events.

Everybody in F1 just wants a calm, experienced head in race control. Wittich seemed to offer that. So, has he jumped – or was he pushed? If it was the former, it would have been telegraphed more, rather than the surprise it clearly has been to several parties.

And when something happens as suddenly and confusingly as this, it often means a clash between individuals – and some kind of Wittich/Ben Sulayem tension is likey. Motorsport-Magazin.com claims to have spoken to Wittich who insisted he has not resigned, so a sudden axing is surely what has happened here.

The question is why? The FIA and Ben Sulayem have come under fire even if the race director has faded back into the background.

There has been pressure over various matters, either directly related to trackside issues (like racing rules and track limits) or broader topics like the Grand Prix Drivers' Association criticising the FIA’s handling of “driver misconduct” (AKA swearing in press conferences).

Wittich will inevitably have been involved in dialogue with the drivers around all of this, including the swearing issue, in drivers’ briefings on grand prix weekends. And it is known that not everybody in Ben Sulayem’s employ has agreed with his policies or his methods.

Perhaps they disagreed on certain matters. The BBC reports Wittich was set to be dropped anyway and his early exit comes “as a result of his relationship” with Ben Sulayem.

While it's informed speculation at this stage, no more convincing an explanation currently exists than yet another high-profile FIA figure falling out of favour with the current leadership.

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Originally posted by P250UA5:
All 10 Teams to Reveal Cars Together at O2 Arena Event