The former German racing driver Christian Josef Danner, who was crowned Formula 3000 champion back in 1985 and later competed in Formula 1 between 1985 and 1989, recently shared his thoughts in an interview with the magazine AvD Motorsport. Danner, who also took a sabbatical year away from racing in 1988 and achieved victory at the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa in 1992, has been observing the early stages of this 2025 Formula 1 season closely. In particular, he has been analysing the performance of the midfield teams and the emergence of a standout rookie.
So far, the Williams team has established itself as the clear fifth force in the Constructors’ Championship. The historic team from Grove has collected 70 points from the opening rounds of the season, positioning itself firmly ahead of its closest competitors. Chasing Williams are Aston Martin with 52 points, Sauber with 51, and Racing Bulls with 45.
Christian Danner crowns Sauber and Bortoleto: “A progression difficult to find in other drivers”
According to Danner, while Williams has improved significantly since James Vowles took over as team principal, there is another team that deserves even greater recognition for its consistent work in 2025. “Even though they are not at the very top of the midfield battle, it is nice to see that there is a team, Sauber, that regardless of the type of circuit, always manages in one way or another to be present,” Danner explained. He contrasted this consistency with Aston Martin, remarking: “Aston Martin was strong in Hungary, but did they know why? No. Fernando Alonso himself admitted that.”
Speaking about Sauber inevitably brings attention to one of the brightest new talents of the season: Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. Danner highlighted the remarkable development shown by the young driver. “What Bortoleto is doing is incredibly good. In a very short period of time, he has shown a progression that is rarely seen in other drivers,” Danner said. The German also underlined an essential detail: “More importantly, Gabriel has never been slow.”
For the former Formula 1 driver, there are no doubts about Bortoleto’s natural ability and potential. Danner made it clear that he views the young Brazilian as a special talent with a promising future in the sport. Concluding his remarks, he even addressed the major teams directly with a piece of advice: “If I were a top team, I would evaluate his situation and the possibility that he might become available in some way. He will definitely be a great driver,” Danner stated, as quoted by Motorsport-magazine.com.
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