Valtteri Bottas has confirmed he picked up the bill for Thursday’s F1 2024 driver dinner. and given he’s unemployed as of Monday, he may be grateful that a few drivers didn’t pitch.

After all, the bill was a cool 20,000 dirhams, just over €5,000!

17 of the 20 drivers sat down for dinner in Abu Dhabi

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

The F1 2024 drivers sat down for their annual end-of-year dinner on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where all eyes were on Max Verstappen and George Russell.

The squabbling rivals made a point of sitting as far away from one another as possible, with claims that Russell even moved his chair after the others cheekily left him an open space next to Verstappen.

But once fans on social media had scrutinised the seating plans, who’s friends with who, and who was absent – Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen – attention turned to the cheque.

In years gone by, that has traditionally been left to the World Champion as Nico Rosberg once revealed: “The hidden agreement usually is that the World Champion pays.”

However, last year the 2023 World Champion Max Verstappen didn’t attend while this year Verstappen avoided the bill when another driver stepped forward to pay it.

It was soon-to-be-former Sauber driver Bottas.

“I can confirm, it was my pleasure,” he said.

Asked if he was willing to reveal the cost, he replied: “I think it was about 20,000 local money whatever that is in Euros.”

At today’s exchange rates, that’s €5,152.

Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks Bottas final race as a Sauber driver but the Finn says it may not be his Formula 1 retirement party.

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“I still don’t think it’s guaranteed that it’s my last race – that’s my feeling,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com ahead of the Abu Dhabi weekend.

“It should be an interesting weekend. Let’s see if there are any emotions or if it’s business as usual. And then we see afterwards.”

Afterwards, at least for now, is a potential return to Mercedes as the team’s reserve driver. Bottas has been in talks with Toto Wolff for several weeks but heads into the final race of the season still undecided.

“Just because I’m in no rush,” he said. “I want to see all the opportunities out there, but we’re still in regular touch and we did agree that we’re going to catch up after the last race.

“It’s been busy three weeks for everyone, so it’s going to be easier next week, but there’s no hurdles and such.

“We both have the interest. So it’s just that either side, we haven’t been in a rush to do anything.”

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