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Strong F1 rookie showings helped persuade Sauber to fast-track Bortoleto

Sauber was going to sign Gabriel Bortoleto for the Audi project in 2026 regardless of if he raced for the team in 2025, according to Mattia Binotto, but the team’s COO and CTO says the timing was partly reinforced by the strong performance of …

Bortoleto (pictured above), who is currently leading the Formula 2 championship standings, was announced on Wednesday as joining Nico Hulkenberg at Stake next season, before the Sauber-run team becomes Audi the following year for the start of new regulations. Hulkenberg and the Brazilian rookie will replace the current pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, and while Binotto says the recent strong showings by the likes of Oliver Bearman have not really surprised him, they have boosted confidence in the ability of newcomers to succeed straight away in F1.

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“I know how great some of the young drivers are. I know Ollie [Bearman] very well because of my past experience — he was part of our driver academy [at Ferrari] at the time,” said Binotto, who served as Ferrari F1 team principal from 2019-’22. “I knew that Ollie could do very well in F1 and that was not a surprise to me, to see how well he is performing today.

“I think, yes, they are all doing very well, and that’s great. It’s great for F1. But I trust them all — I know they can do well, and I don’t think that I was waiting to see them doing well to make a decision.

“I followed Gabriel’s career, certainly even more intensively in the last weeks and months. I saw him racing so well, being impressed by the speed, the potential, but also by this capacity to first develop and improve. I think he is one of the most talented and high-potential drivers we’ve got as rookies, and for Audi, that was a no-brainer — go for it.

“So, we would have gone for Gabriel — that would have been our choice anyway. The second question we were asking ourselves was should it be straight away in ’25 or should we give him some time first to develop and then maybe postpone to ’26?

“But finally, yes, also seeing young drivers doing well in F1 gave me more confidence with the fact that Gabriel can do very well from the very start, and that if any, that has been the convincing factor. Not of the overall choice for a young, interesting young driver for Audi — [for that] journey and project it is important and essential — but more how soon could that maybe be happening; and again, I am convinced he will do well from the very start.”

Bortoleto is set to join Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson as rookies tackling their first full seasons in F1 next year, while Franco Colapinto has also been linked with a seat in the Red Bull setup.

Tough call for Sauber to drop ‘very highly rated’ Bottas

Sauber Motorsport COO and CTO Mattia Binotto admits it was a tough decision to replace Valtteri Bottas with Gabriel Bortoleto in 2025. Bortoleto was announced on Wednesday morning, finalizing an all-new line-up next season of the Brazilian rookie …

Sauber Motorsport COO and CTO Mattia Binotto admits it was a tough decision to replace Valtteri Bottas with Gabriel Bortoleto in 2025.

Bortoleto was announced on Wednesday morning, finalizing an all-new line-up next season of the Brazilian rookie and Nico Hulkenberg. That means there is no place for 35-year-old Bottas, and Binotto admits the 10-time grand prix winner was one of the main contenders for the vacancy but that the timing felt right to introduce a young driver while the Stake team evolves into the Audi works outfit.

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“I’m getting on very well with Valtteri,” Binotto (pictured above, with Bottas) said. “It has been a great relationship since I’ve started here in August, building it, trusting each other. And I think we really set up and had good communication between us. We had several talks about the journey, the length and duration of the journey, and the difficulties we will maybe face in the next seasons.

“We know that the next one will be a difficult season as a team, as a journey towards the Audi F1 transformation. It’s a long journey. I think on the duration is where we mainly reflected together a lot, and it’s where I came to the conclusion that maybe we will need to have a young driver with us.

“So all of it with him has been a mutual, let’s say, understanding — if not agreement, certainly a mutual understanding — of the situation, the facts and what’s required.

“More than that, I would like to underline I think he has certainly been a very strong candidate. I know he’s very fast. I know that he has proven to be very fast until today, very fit, he knows the team. Certainly he is very highly rated here, and he’s very highly rated in the paddock.

“So overall it has not been an easy one, but sometimes you need to come to a conclusion and make a decision. And we made it.”

Bottas says both sides were aware of where their future plans did not match up, as the Finn now looks certain to not race in Formula 1 in 2025.

“A situation like this is never easy for anyone,” Bottas said. “But after all the good and in-depth discussions we had in the past weeks, we realized 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.

“When one door closes, another one opens. I’m actually very excited for the future and what’s next.”

Audi backs Bortoleto due to ‘generational shift in F1’

Audi says young drivers performing at a high level as rookies is marking “a general shift in Formula 1” that persuaded it to back Gabriel Bortoleto for a race seat with its F1 partner, Sauber. Bortoleto has been announced as Nico Hulkenberg’s …

Audi says young drivers performing at a high level as rookies is marking “a general shift in Formula 1” that persuaded it to back Gabriel Bortoleto for a race seat with its F1 partner, Sauber.

Bortoleto has been announced as Nico Hulkenberg’s teammate at Sauber in 2025, for the final season before it completes its transition into the Audi works team. The 20-year-old won last season’s Formula 3 championship and is leading the F2 standings this year, in which fellow F2 drivers Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto have shown strongly on their F1 debuts. Audi CEO Gernot Dollner pointed to their example in explaining his company’s backing of the new generation.

“Led by Mattia [Binotto , chief technical officer], Audi’s Formula 1 project is making great progress in many areas,” Dollner said. “The signing of the second driver is another milestone. We are currently witnessing a generational shift in Formula 1, with young drivers immediately making an impact. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents. His signing underscores Audi’s long-term strategy and commitment to Formula 1.”

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The choice of Bortoleto means current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will both leave the team at the end of the season, and Sauber COO and Binotto thanked both for their commitment over the past three years.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Valtteri for the past three years together,” Binotto said. “He has been the embodiment of professionalism, using his vast experience to support the team’s growth. Valtteri’s dedication and approach have been invaluable during a pivotal time in our history, and the memories of these years will stay with us for a long time.

“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.

“The last three years have seen our team grow significantly on and off the track, and both Valtteri and Zhou have played a big role in this progression. At this time, however, following our discussion with Zhou, we have decided that our future lies in different places.

“We are grateful to Zhou for the last three years, for the commitment and the hunger he has shown from the first moment he drove for us to today. Scoring points on debut and helping the team to P6 in 2022 was a statement of intent, but so was his contribution off track and at the factory.

“We want to celebrate our journey together with three strong races to finish this season, and both the team and Zhou are committed to giving everything in Las Vegas, Doha and Abu Dhabi together.”

Sauber confirms Bortoleto for 2025 as Bottas and Zhou depart

Sauber has confirmed Gabriel Bortoleto will drive for its Formula 1 team in 2025 and beyond, with current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both set to leave the team at the end of the season. Nico Hulkenberg’s move to the team ahead of its …

Sauber has confirmed Gabriel Bortoleto will drive for its Formula 1 team in 2025 and beyond, with current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both set to leave the team at the end of the season.

Nico Hulkenberg’s move to the team ahead of its transition into Audi was confirmed earlier this year, leaving just one seat available at Sauber and the two current drivers facing competition from elsewhere. Sauber has now confirmed Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto will join Hulkenberg on a multi-year deal, having first announced the departures of Bottas and Zhou.

“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all of sports,” Bortoleto said. “Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor. Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico. Both programs have a proven track record of nurturing young talent, and I am confident that together, we will write our own success story.”

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20-year-old Bortoleto gives Brazil its first full-time F1 driver since Felipe Massa in 2017, and Sauber boss Mattia Binotto says having Hulkenberg in place allowed the team to go for a rookie.

“Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver,” Binotto said. “We are very pleased that he will become a team member of Sauber and Audi. Together with Gabriel, we are on a journey towards success, and we will evolve into a unified force to shape a new era for Audi in motorsport. Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth, positioning us strongly for the future.”

Bortoleto was part of McLaren’s driver development program but his current team confirmed he would be released in full at the end of this season to join Sauber.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Gabriel over the last year and to have been able to contribute to his success and growth as a driver through the McLaren Driver Development program,” McLaren said in a statement. “We have a strong driver line-up in Lando and Oscar, and therefore we have always been clear that we would not stand in the way of an opportunity for Gabriel to progress whilst we are not in the position to offer him a seat with McLaren.

“We look forward to continuing to support Gabriel in his campaign for the 2024 FIA Formula 2 title and wish him all the best for his career beyond F2.”

2023 F3 champion Bortoleto leads the F2 standings by 4.5 points from Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar, with two rounds of the season remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Rueda to take over from Zehnder at Sauber in 2025

Former Ferrari sporting director Inaki Rueda will take over the same position at Sauber in 2025 ahead of its transition into the Audi works team, replacing long-time incumbent Beat Zehnder. Zehnder has been part of Sauber since the 1980s and will be …

Former Ferrari sporting director Inaki Rueda will take over the same position at Sauber in 2025 ahead of its transition into the Audi works team, replacing long-time incumbent Beat Zehnder.

Zehnder has been part of Sauber since the 1980s and will be remaining with the company as director of signature programs and operations, but relinquishing the sporting director role at the start of next year.

“In this new role, Zehnder will ensure the rich heritage of Sauber Motorsport continues to grow, uphold its core values and lead efforts to innovate and shape its future,” Sauber said in a statement. “Throughout 2025, he will fulfill a supervising function to assure the best possible transition as the team grows into its new structures.”

In his place comes Rueda from Ferrari, where he had been sporting director head of race strategy from 2021 until 2023. Early last year, Ravin Jain replaced Rueda in the strategy position, before the Spaniard took on factory-based roles this season.

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Also joining Sauber is Giampaolo Dall’Ara, who will be the new head of race engineering at Hinwil. Dall’Ara has previously worked for Sauber but since 2016 has run his own consultancy firm and been part of multiple other motorsport projects.

“The appointment is part of a move to optimize alignment on all car performance-related topics and to ensure a joint operations approach to topics concerning the car’s performance, and as part of which the company integrated the race engineering department into the technical group,” Sauber stated.

Ahead of Audi’s Formula 1 entry in 2026, Sauber added that the leadership changes “infuse the team with renewed confidence as they strengthen the organization as it prepares for future challenges and opportunities, with a bright future as a factory team ahead.”

Hulkenberg to leave Haas for Audi project in 2025

Nico Hulkenberg will join the Audi Formula 1 project by moving to Stake in 2025 on a multi-year deal, bringing an end to his time racing for Haas. Haas signed Hulkenberg ahead of the 2023 season after he had been out of a full-time Formula 1 seat …

Nico Hulkenberg will join the Audi Formula 1 project by moving to Stake in 2025 on a multi-year deal, bringing an end to his time racing for Haas.

Haas signed Hulkenberg ahead of the 2023 season after he had been out of a full-time Formula 1 seat for three years, and the German duly delivered impressive performances, particularly in qualifying. This year his strong form has continued, with three point-scoring results in the first five races, making him a key target for Audi when it becomes a full constructor from 2026 onwards.

“I’m returning to the team I worked with back in 2013 and have fond memories of the strong team spirit in Switzerland,” Hulkenberg said. “The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honor for me.”

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With Hulkenberg becoming the first confirmed driver for Audi when it enters in 2026, future Audi F1 CEO Andreas Seidl — currently CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG — says his experience will be vital to the team’s development.

“We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula 1,” Seidl said. “With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team — and of Audi’s F1 project.

“Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in building something long-term together. Nico is a strong personality and his input, on a professional and personal level, will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team.”

In addition to Hulkenberg’s returning to the team over a decade on from a year racing for Sauber in 2013, the agreement also marks a reunion for him with Seidl, who was the Porsche team principal in the World Endurance Championship when Hulkenberg won at Le Mans for the team in 2015.

The news also confirms the departure of at least one of the current Stake lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu at the end of this season. Carlos Sainz has been heavily linked with a move to join the Audi project following the end of his Ferrari contract this year.

Audi link making Stake a player in F1 driver market

Audi’s arrival in Formula 1 for 2026 is making Stake a serious player in the driver market this season despite on-track struggles, according to team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi. The Sauber-run team has yet to score a point in the opening …

Audi’s arrival in Formula 1 for 2026 is making Stake a serious player in the driver market this season despite on-track struggles, according to team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

The Sauber-run team has yet to score a point in the opening five races and has been hampered by pit stop issues that have caused a number of slow stops, frustrating drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Despite the challenging results so far in 2024, the fact that Audi will take over the team and enter as a full constructor in less than two years is leading to a lot of interest from drivers, according to Alunni Bravi.

“First, let me say that there are a lot of speculations around our teams and comments,” Alunni Bravi said. “And, of course, I don’t want to comment on speculation… But there’s all the teams. There are 14 drivers without a contract fixed for next year. So, as all the teams, we are speaking with different drivers.

“It’s not the time for us to take any decision. It’s time to provide our drivers with a performing car. But let me say that we are happy that it seems that we can play a role — a different role in the drivers’ market for the future — thanks to Audi’s announcement and all the investment that will be done in order to improve our team

“So I think that is good news for our team. Finally we are attractive and we are not spectators, we are a player in the market.”

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During the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko claimed discussions with Carlos Sainz had left him feeling that Red Bull could not compete with an offer Audi had made to the Spaniard, but Alunni Bravi says all teams and drivers are likely to have multiple discussions ongoing.

“I think they are mere speculation, because, every driver, I think, is speaking with a lot of teams to understand the situation, to understand if there could be a common vision on the project, especially for a team like us that is in a full transformation process ahead of 2026. But we are focused on our drivers and we respect our drivers.

“We know that we need to deliver better performance as a team. And this is the first step to start deciding what will be the driver lineup for the future. First, we need to consolidate our performance. So far, we didn’t score points. So I think that the main target, and the priority for the team, is to start scoring points and then to approach the drivers’ market, starting with discussion with our drivers and then having, of course, open eyes on the market.

“It’s not appropriate to disclose what could be the discussion in place. No one really knows what other teams are offering to the drivers, or are discussing with the drivers, and sometimes we don’t want to be part of a game that is done by others … I think that the car performance now is our priority and there will be time to take the right decision for the future.”

Bottas fears Stake struggles could impact his driver market value

Valtteri Bottas has acknowledged that the difficulties currently limiting results for Stake could impact his chances in this year’s driver market, as he ponders potential options in Formula 1 outside of the team. The Sauber-run team has yet to score …

The Sauber-run team has yet to score a point this season as it has struggled for performance on certain tracks, but also been severely hampered by pit stop issues. In Japan, a strong result slipped away from Bottas after he had been in the fight for Q3 on the Saturday. A full fix for the pit stop issue is not due until Imola and the Finn — who is out of contract at the end of this season — admits it’s harder to catch the eye when such opportunities are missed.

“That’s how motorsports works — sometimes it’s more difficult to show what you can do,” Bottas said. “I think the people that really look into the details and try to see how each driver is performing, they will see. But I would say that for the outside world, it’s tricky. When you’re not scoring, you’re almost hidden, in a way.

“I feel like I’ve had a couple of good qualifying sessions and good races so far, but they have been always compromised — something has happened, either on the stops or [something] else. All I can do is try and perform the best I can, so hopefully, the right people will see that.

“Absolutely [the team can see it]. They know the work I’ve been putting in. Like last week, still testing for two days in Japan, non-stop, I did five race distances, then flew overnight and went straight into the simulator doing the correlation. So they know.”

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Stating that remaining at Stake — set to become the Audi works team in 2026 — is not his only opportunity for next year and that he has multiple options within F1, Bottas acknowledges it could be dangerous to wait to finalize his next contract given the number of drivers available.

“I think there are things that will start happening quite soon,” he said. “Like, now, obviously Fernando [Alonso] has decided to stay with Aston, so that’s done. And, actually, there are not that many falling pieces anywhere.

“Of course there are questions on some drivers, like what is Carlos [Sainz] going to do? What’s Mercedes going to do? All these things. So, I would say ideally within the next few weeks it starts getting sorted. We’re working on it, for sure — talks have started, so it should be an interesting few weeks ahead.”

Audi confirms Sauber takeover ahead of 2026 F1 entry

Audi has confirmed it will completely take over the Sauber Group ahead of its Formula 1 entry in 2026, with Oliver Hoffmann becoming chairman of the board and Andreas Seidl CEO. The German manufacturer announced its plans to enter as a power unit …

Audi has confirmed it will completely take over the Sauber Group ahead of its Formula 1 entry in 2026, with Oliver Hoffmann becoming chairman of the board and Andreas Seidl CEO.

The German manufacturer announced its plans to enter as a power unit supplier from 2026 onwards back in 2022, later confirming that Sauber would become its works partner. Despite speculation about its commitment to the project due to managerial changes, Audi has now announced it is “accelerating its investment and a full takeover of the Sauber Group from current majority shareholder Islero Investments AG has been agreed.“

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“The entry into Formula 1 is not only the pinnacle of Audi’s very successful history in motorsport, but also as big a sporting challenge as it is a financial commitment,” Manfred Doess, chairman of the supervisory board at Audi said. “Through the bundling of Oliver Hoffmann’s responsibilities and the complete takeover of the Sauber Group, we are accelerating our preparations for the 2026 season.”

Hoffmann currently heads up the technical development division at Audi and is on the board, but will step down from those roles to become the general representative responsible for Audi’s entry.

Hoffmann, who will also become chairman of the Sauber Group, has previously been head of Audi Sport, and oversaw multiple motorsport successes including the first-ever win at the Dakar Rally for an electrified drivetrain.

“I would like to thank the entire team at technical development for the great performance in recent years, and I am proud of the outstanding products resulting from our intensive work that we will bring to the streets in the coming months,” Hoffmann said.

“Motorsport, particularly Formula 1, is my big passion. I am convinced that by bundling responsibilities and taking over 100 percent of Sauber Group, we will further accelerate our preparations for the launch in 2026.

“I am pleased we were able to secure the services of Andreas Seidl as Audi F1 Team CEO. He is exactly the right man for our ambitious plan. Thanks to his broad experience from leadership roles on the manufacturer and Formula 1 team side, he will make a significant contribution to Audi’s Formula 1 project.”

Seidl joined Sauber from McLaren just over a year ago, and has been working largely behind the scenes as Alessandro Alunni Bravi takes on team representative duties for the F1 outfit now known as Stake. However, Seidl will officially become CEO of the Audi F1 Team, and says the takeover will help with future plans.

“I thank Gernot Doellner (Audi chairman of the board of management) and Oliver Hoffmann for their trust and am looking forward to leading Audi into Formula 1 together with a highly motivated team as CEO of the Audi F1 Team,” Seidl said.

“We have a clear roadmap for how we want to become competitive in Hinwil as well as in Neuburg. We have ambitious goals. Realization of them is in progress and will be further accelerated through the complete takeover of Sauber by Audi AG.”

Haas makes Bearman reserve alongside Fittipaldi; Maloney joins Stake

Haas has named Ollie Bearman as one of two reserve drivers alongside Pietro Fittipaldi for 2024, with Stake adding Zane Maloney to its roster. Bearman is already fulfilling a reserve role at Ferrari this year alongside his Formula 2 duties, and will …

Haas has named Ollie Bearman as one of two reserve drivers alongside Pietro Fittipaldi for 2024, with Stake adding Zane Maloney to its roster.

Bearman is already fulfilling a reserve role at Ferrari this year alongside his Formula 2 duties, and will have the same responsibilities for Haas as Fittipaldi dovetails his ongoing position with a full-time IndyCar drive. Having impressed in two FP1 outings for Haas late last season, Bearman will also get six FP1 appearances for the team this year, in a show of faith that suggests he is being primed for a future Formula 1 race seat.

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“I’m really happy to be part of MoneyGram Haas F1 team for the upcoming season,” 18-year-old Bearman said. “I had a great experience last year working with everyone at the team and I’m looking forward to building on that this year. There are several events I’ll be doing FP1s at — alongside the reserve duties, which is exciting. I’m grateful to Haas F1 team and Scuderia Ferrari for their faith and for supporting me.”

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says the reserve lineup offers a strong blend of potential talent and continuity, with Fittipaldi having fulfilled the role since 2019.

“Oliver did a tremendous job for us last season settling in well and working through both his FP1 run programs in Mexico and Abu Dhabi and then with his test program,” Komatsu said. “We’re looking forward to giving him the opportunity for more outings in FP1 in 2024 — with testing at a premium this is key running time, both for us to evaluate Oliver’s progress but also to enable him seat time in a Formula 1 car.

“Having Pietro with us for a sixth season is valuable as he again provides continuity and he’s been a great contributor to our program over the years, both on- and off-track. We’re excited he’s landed a full-time IndyCar ride this season, so he can do what he loves to do — and that’s to race — but he’s there for us too as part of the Haas family.”

Another F2 driver getting a reserve position for this year is Maloney, with the Bajan talent having left the Red Bull junior program and joined the Sauber Academy. Maloney will share reserve responsibilities for Stake with Theo Pourchaire, who is set to race in Super Formula after winning last year’s F2 title.

“I am honored to join the Sauber Academy, and to take on the role of one of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’s reserve drivers,” Maloney said. “The Sauber name resonates with Formula 1, as it has been part of the sport for over 30 years, paving the way for so many drivers who went on to achieve great success. I am pleased to become part of this family, and I am looking forward to working together this season, as I move closer to my goal of becoming a Formula 1 driver.”