The team principal of Sauber Racing has admitted that the package of technical upgrades introduced gradually throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season has gone far beyond the team’s initial expectations. The growth and improvement of the team have also been significantly influenced by the contributions of their two drivers, with Nico Hülkenberg providing consistent reliability and the young rookie Gabriel Bortoleto representing the promising new talent pushing the team forward.
First came a new floor, a redesigned front wing, and a revised engine cover at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, followed by further evolved floor and diffuser components introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix. Finally, at Silverstone, the team brought a newly designed front section of the floor along with a rear wing adapted specifically for the British track. This unique upgrade package, rolled out in three distinct phases, has literally transformed Sauber’s 2025 campaign, propelling the team from last place in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship to a strong sixth position.
This combination of technical updates has made the Sauber C35 car significantly more manageable and better balanced compared to the first part of the season, when the Swiss-based team had only scored points once — during the opening race — thanks to a perfect strategy and a solid race pace delivered by the experienced German driver Nico Hülkenberg.
Since the introduction of these upgrades, Sauber Racing has consistently remained within the top ten positions, achieving six consecutive points finishes. Remarkably, two of these races saw both cars finish in the points, and there was even a podium finish secured by Nico Hülkenberg at the British Grand Prix.
Gone are the days of significant downforce losses. A much stronger aerodynamic balance and a wider performance window for drivability have enabled both Nico Hülkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto to compete closely with rival teams such as Williams Racing for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
“I believe the upgrades have brought a broad spectrum of performance improvements,” said Jonathan Wheatley, the team principal of Sauber Racing. “It seems that we are now able to follow the pace of other teams more closely than before.”
At the Sauber factory in Hinwil, the hope was to make a solid step forward by introducing such a substantial upgrade package. However, the improvement has been so clear and tangible that it has impressed everyone within the team.
“Moreover, our drivers seem very comfortable with the different tire compounds and across various circuits so far this season,” Jonathan Wheatley added. “At times, I think we have even surpassed our own expectations. It is very encouraging and motivates us to continue pushing in this direction.”
The Sauber C45 is on a steep upward trajectory, but it’s not just the car that is performing well. Another key factor contributing to the team’s recent success is the human element: the driver pairing. Nico Hülkenberg and the young Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto are collaborating productively, helping to develop a team that only a few months ago was causing dissatisfaction within Audi — in preparation for the 2026 technical regulations — and that today has completely reversed opinions about itself.
“I have to say that this is the most united and collaborative driver pairing I have seen in my entire Formula 1 career,” Wheatley stated. “Gabriel has an incredible work ethic and a great ability to absorb new information quickly. He is proving in every way that he is the future star we expected him to be.”
“And Nico is an integral part of this journey alongside him. On the other side of the engineering table, there is the extraordinary experience and proven talent of Nico Hülkenberg. While we talk a lot about Gabriel today, Nico has done an outstanding job. It may not always be visible — for example, he did not score points in Budapest — but as a team, we are very satisfied with both our drivers.”
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