With the 2024 Formula 1 season coming to an end, Sauber has confirmed its decision to move forward with a new driver lineup for 2025, leaving Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu without seats on the F1 grid. Ruth Buscombe Divey, a former strategist for the team, took to Instagram and shared a heartfelt message for her two former colleagues.
Buscombe, who played a critical role in the strategic decisions for Bottas and Zhou on race weekends, opened up about her attachment to the drivers and expressed her gratitude for the shared journey, marking what she called “the end of an era.” Reflecting on an old piece of advice she once received, Buscombe admitted how it proved untrue over the years.
“I was once told that drivers are like light bulbs, you screw them in and out of a car and they aren’t really part of the team so don’t get attached,” she recalled. However, she emphasized that this couldn’t be further from the truth, explaining that drivers and strategists grow deeply connected due to the trust and teamwork required in their jobs.
“They trust us, they protect us, we trust them, we protect them. We are a team, and they become more than colleagues, they become our friends,” she shared.
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For Buscombe, the departure of Bottas and Zhou signifies a major change but also serves as a reminder of what the Finnish driver once said in his first race briefing. “Do not set a limit on what you can achieve,” he advised — a phrase that surprised even him at the time.
What’s next for Bottas and Zhou?
Both drivers are yet to confirm the next steps they are going to take. However, Guanyu recently revealed he is discussing options to stay involved in Formula 1. He shared that his most likely opportunity for 2025 is a role as a reserve driver. Similarly, Bottas is also expected to return to Mercedes as their reserve driver.
| Valtteri Bottas is understood to be considering a reserve driver role with Mercedes.
Details below:https://t.co/bLgS0AKU8O
— formularacers (@formularacers_) November 6, 2024
While there is still potentially one vacant seat left at Red Bull’s sister team—RB—neither Bottas nor Zhou appear to be a contender for it. The Austrian team is keen on promoting their own driver, Liam Lawson, to partner Max Verstappen. However, they recently also showed interest in Franco Colapinto, who is set to make way for Carlos Sainz at Williams.
