Appearing on the Hot Ones Versus format on the First We Feast YouTube channel alongside his Cadillac teammate Sergio Perez, the Finn admitted he felt relieved to have left Sauber after parting ways with the team at the end of the 2024 season.

“I’m an honest man — obviously there are different circumstances around how you leave, and why,” Bottas said.

Prompted by Perez to name names, the Finn responded with trademark candour: “Sauber F1 Team. I was actually quite happy to leave at the end because of the circumstances — although I do have some good memories as well.”

After being replaced by George Russell at Mercedes, Bottas spent three seasons at Sauber alongside Zhou Guanyu — whom he is now set to reunite with at Cadillac in 2026.

With his Sauber stint coming end at the end of 2024, the Finn returned to Mercedes last year as a reserve driver, before securing a full-time race seat once again for the season about to get underway.

Valtteri Bottas will make a special appearance on track at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, where he is set to drive the legendary Ferrari 156/85.

The event comes in the lead-up to the opening round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, marking Bottas’s return to competitive action ahead of his full-time comeback with Cadillac after spending last year on the sidelines.

The Ferrari 156/85 is best remembered for carrying Michele Alboreto through a season-long championship battle with Alain Prost, a campaign that ultimately saw the Italian finish second in the standings.