Valtteri Bottas made headlines with a humorous farewell speech as he prepares to exit Sauber F1 Team at the end of the 2024 season.
After three seasons with the Hinwil-based team, the Finn’s departure marks the end of an era not only for him but also for the team which is gearing up for a new chapter with Audi’s entry into F1 in 2026.
The announcement of Valtteri Bottas’ departure coincides with Sauber F1 Team’s strategic shift towards a new driver lineup for 2025 as they confirmed promising Formula 2 talent Gabriel Bortoleto will race alongside Nico Hulkenberg next season.
Bottas joined Sauber F1 Team in 2021 after a successful stint at Mercedes, where he secured ten race victories and over sixty podium finishes. His experience and professionalism have been invaluable to the Hinwil outfit during its transformative period.
The team’s decision to part ways with the 35-year old was described as mutual, with both parties recognizing that the conditions necessary for further collaboration were not met.
Following the announcement, Valtteri Bottas delivered a farewell speech filled with heartfelt sentiments albeit in a typical “Bottass” fashion. In a light-hearted social media post, he shared a video message thanking everyone who has been part of his journey at Sauber.
“Hi everyone, I guess you might have seen the news that I won’t be racing in Formula 1 with Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in 2025,” he said.
“I wanted to just take this opportunity to thank you all for all the support out there, in the past, now, and in the future. And also big thanks to the team for everything.
“I mean, when one door closes, another door opens. And I’m actually very excited of the future and what’s next.”
However as he concludes, the camera pulls away and reveals Valtteri Bottas wearing also nothing but his underpants!
This quirky gesture exemplifies Bottas’ personality—able to balance professionalism with a sense of humor even in poignant moments.
This comes after he posted a picture to his Instagram showing him swimming in a stream in Aspen, Colorado, with his bare bottom on show. Remarkably, 5,000 people bought a copy of the print which helped to raise more than €50,000 for charity.
The Finn later produced a calendar, entitled ‘Bottass 2024’, with a different picture for every month of him with his bottom again on show. That raised $150,000 for men’s health charity ‘Movember’.
Sure everyone will miss Valtteri Bottas!
