- Sauber F1 crew set to turn out to be Audi’s manufacturing facility crew in 2026
- Sauber drops present drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu
- Replacements named as Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg
The Sauber Formulation 1 crew could have a brand new pair of drivers on the grid subsequent season forward of its change to Audi’s manufacturing facility crew in 2026.
The struggling Swiss crew introduced on Wednesday that it’s dropping present drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu on the finish of 2024.
The announcement coincided with information of the signing of Gabriel Bortoleto for the 2025 season. Bortoleto, who would be the first Brazilian in F1 since Felipe Massa retired in 2017, at the moment leads the F2 championship which has two rounds left to go.
The gifted 20-year-old has been a part of McLaren’s driver growth program since 2023 and is the reigning F3 champion. In an announcement, McLaren stated it’s proud of present drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastro, and will not stand in the best way of a possibility for Bortoleto to drive with one other crew.
Gabriel Bortoleto – Photograph through Sauber
Sauber beforehand introduced in April that German F1 veteran Nico Hülkenberg would drive for the squad in 2025. Hülkenberg at the moment drives for Haas however the American crew has new drivers on the best way for 2025 in present Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman.
Sauber has struggled this season and stays the one crew but to attain some extent. Bottas and Guanyu additionally each sit on zero factors. Guanyu made his F1 debut with Alfa Romeo in 2022 and stayed with the crew after it returned to its authentic Sauber identify in 2024. His greatest end is ninth place, which he has achieved thrice.
Valtteri Bottas (left) and Zhou Guanyu – Photograph through Sauber
Bottas has 10 wins underneath his belt, all of them achieved whereas he was with Mercedes-Benz AMG. He additionally joined Alfa Romeo in 2022 however has struggled to realize any floor since then.
The one remaing F1 seat for 2025 is at RB. The Crimson Bull Racing feeder crew has already confirmed present driver Yuki Tsunoda for the following season. Liam Lawson, who at the moment drives alongside Tsunoda, is sort of sure to choose up the remaining seat given his sturdy efficiency since becoming a member of the squad after the Singapore Grand Prix as Daniel Ricciardo’s alternative.
