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With Sauber confirming F2 driver Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025 and beyond, current Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas may explore a reserve driver role at Mercedes for the next Formula 1 season.
Bottas was also in contention for the 2025 seat, representing his final chance to secure a full-time racing role. However, with Audi set to take over Sauber in 2026, Sauber CEO and CTO Mattia Binotto ultimately opted for the fresh potential of Bortoleto over Bottas’ extensive F1 experience. This decision aligns with the team's strategy to pair young talent with seasoned driver Nico Hulkenberg, who joins from Haas next year.
Binotto highlighted that the Finn was a "key candidate" in the selection process but he did not meet the "final conditions" for a contract extension. He told the media:
“In considering our driver line-up for the coming seasons, Valtteri was unquestionably a key candidate. With his fighting spirit, he frequently pushed the car beyond its performance limits.
“However, a decision had to be made. After open and constructive discussions, we mutually concluded that final conditions could not be met so we agreed that it is time to part ways. Valtteri will always have an open door here in Hinwil.”
Bottas, who made his Formula 1 debut more than a decade ago with Williams in 2013, revealed the situation he has ended up in is not easy. He added:
“A situation like this is never easy for anyone.
“But after all the good and in-depth discussions we had in the past weeks, we realised that the conditions to grow this project together were not met.
“These past years with the team have been an incredible journey, full of growth, challenges, and unforgettable moments. I’m grateful for the joint experiences as well as the trust and support I’ve felt every step of the way.
“Though it’s time to move on, I’ll always carry a piece of this team with me, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us both.”
With no other full-time option available with any of the teams, Bottas could return to the Brackley outfit, a team he spent 5 years with before moving to Sauber (then Alfa Romeo) in 2022. As hinted by him in a recent interview when his talks were ongoing with Binotto, Bottas had stated:
“I’ve got to look at all the alternatives including going back to the Mercedes family."
With Sauber yet to score any points this season due to limited upgrades amid its transformation into the Audi Works team in less than 18 months, Bottas offers a stronger record with 10 Grand Prix victories from his time at Mercedes, bringing a valuable advantage to his prospects.
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Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
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Hype around Yankees prospect Spencer Jones creating unrealistic expectations
The most intriguing baseball player not currently in the major leagues might be New York Yankees prospect Spencer Jones. That's not only because of the impressive numbers he has put up in Triple-A, but also because of his perceived value in trade talks ahead of Thursday's MLB trade deadline. That trade speculation, and the Yankees' reported expectations for what that trade value is, might be doing him more harm than good when it comes to his future in the big leagues. With the Yankees in need of significant help to make another World Series run, Jones is one of the prospects that has been speculated as a potential trade chip. But according to baseball insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees are only willing to trade him for one type of player: a Paul Skenes type. Since Skenes is not likely to move, and since the handful of players on that level are also unlikely to move, it probably means that Jones is going to remain with the Yankees organization. It's a long-winded way of saying he is almost untouchable in trade talks. That, frankly, seems to be an absurd position for the Yankees to take, assuming it is their position. Not because Jones isn't a good prospect, but because they might be setting an unrealistic expectation for the type of player he is or can become. He is far from a sure thing or a can't-miss prospect. His power is prodigious, and in 19 games since his promotion to Triple-A, he has already hit 13 home runs with a 1.407 OPS. Those numbers jump off the page at you and make him the type of player a team and front office (and fans) can dream on. It's exciting, and it's encouraging in an era where power and home runs are one of the first things teams look for with hitters. But there is something else in Jones' game that also jumps off the page, and it is far less encouraging. It is the strikeouts. As in, he strikes out ... a lot. A concerning amount. For his career (entering play on Sunday), he had already struck out 469 times in 1,310 minor league at-bats. That is a strikeout rate over 35%. His Double-A strikeout rate was an even more concerning 40.22% over the past two-and-a-half seasons. It reached as high as 42% during the 2024 season. While that number has come down a bit since his promotion to Triple-A, it's such a small sample size of games and at-bats that it's hard to know if it's a real improvement or just a random hot streak. While strikeouts have become far more accepted in the major leagues in this era, especially for power hitters, there still has to be some concern and tempered expectations for a guy who misses the ball that much in the minors. The opposing arms and the quality of pitches he sees are only going to get tougher as he takes the next step into the major leagues. There is also the fact he is 24 years old and has only played 19 games above Double-A ball. Not to mention the fact the Yankees — the team that would know him better than anybody — do not seem to be in a rush to promote him to the big league club. If the Yankees really thought that highly of him and really believed in him being a difference-maker, he might already be an option for them. There are red flags here. This is not to say that Jones won't be good. It is also not suggesting that the Yankees should trade him for just anybody. It is simply saying he shouldn't be an almost untouchable trade asset for a team trying to win a World Series right now. He's an intriguing prospect with big flaws that could ultimately hold him back.
New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
Former Celtics Standout Guard Signs 3-Year Deal With Greek Club
An former Boston Celtics sharpshooter has inked a long-term contract extension agreement to continue his pro career abroad. More news: Former Celtics Champ Makes Surprising Prediction for Lakers’ Luka Doncic Granted, his Celtics tenure was fairly short-lived and uneventful, and represented Brad Stevens' final, unremarkable season as the franchise's head coach before transitioning to a team president role in its front office. Former 12-year NBA shooting guard Evan Fournier was traded to Boston from the Denver Nuggets at the 2020-21 trade deadline for former All-Star point guard Jeff Teague and a pair of second-round draft picks. In 16 subsequent games for Boston (10 starts), Fournier averaged 13.0 points while connecting on .448/.463/.714 shooting splits. He also submitted averages of 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 rejections a night. Fournier was elevated to a full-time starting role with the Celtics in the playoffs, averaging 15.4 points on a .429/.433/.833 slash line, 3.6 boards, 1.4 dishes, and 1.2 swipes in a brisk five-game playoff series loss. He left for the New York Knicks in an offseason sign-and-trade. Per EuroLeague squad Olympiacos, Fournier has agreed to a three-season contract extension to stick with the team. "Olympiacos welcomed me like family. This is not a new chapter, it is the continuation of something strong. I couldn't be happier to be part of this sacred club for another three seasons," Fournier said in a team presser announcing the deal. More news: Celtics Rookie Hugo Gonzalez Earns Rave Review From Former EuroLeague Superstar Fournier, 32, notched a Greek championship and Super Cup victory during his inaugural 2024-25 season for Olympiacos. In 32 EuroLeague bouts for Olympiacos last year, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 15.8 points while shooting .424/.373/.713, plus 2.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 25.5 minutes per. Clearly, the sharpshooting Frenchman is happy to move on from his 704 regular season NBA contests (504 starts) logged between the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Celtics, Knicks and finally the Detroit Pistons. For his career, he boasts averages of 13.6 points on .441/.374/.799 shooting splits, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals a night. More news: Jayson Tatum Receives Injury Advice From Former Celtics Forward Celtics Called Out for Trading Away Former First-Round Draft Pick For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.
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