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Valtteri Bottas said he was surprised by the timing of his Sauber team’s signing of fellow Formula One driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber confirmed last week that Hulkenberg is leaving Haas to join its ranks in 2025, ahead of the organization’s takeover by Audi in 2026.

Hulkenberg’s arrival likely means either Bottas or current F1 teammate Zhou Guanyu will be looking for a new seat next year.

“Of course, the timing is quite early and a little bit surprising, but the driver market is starting to move, obviously, and it also kind of makes sense,” Bottas said, per RacingNews365.

The 34-year-old Finland native said adding Hulkenberg was a natural move for Germany-based Audi.

“He’s German, and Audi has made it pretty clear that they want a German driver, so it’s all good,” Bottas said. “Let’s see what happens next.”

Bottas joined the Sauber Ferrari team in 2024 following stings with Alfa Romeo, Mercedes and Williams. He has 10 Formula One wins, most recently at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix.

–Field Level Media