Sauber started the 2025 season positively, with Nico Hülkenberg immediately securing valuable points in the opening race in Australia. The German driver confirmed his seventh-place finish from Melbourne in the only free practice session in China, placing the C45 in a surprising sixth position.
Hinwil’s team was one of the few to bring updates to Shanghai, considering the short turnaround after the season opener. While Albert Park saw the debut of a new front wing different from the one used in Bahrain testing, China introduced a modification to the rear section of the sidepod.
James Key’s aerodynamic team changed the outer edge of the sidepod, which previously had an unusual wavy shape, replacing it with a more conventional “Grand Canyon” design that separates the upper undercut from the turbulence created by the front wheel’s wake.
The change is easily noticeable, as an unpainted carbon fiber section has been added, giving the Sauber’s sidepod a shape closer to an aerodynamic profile. The Swiss team, set to become Audi next year, cannot afford to remain at the back of the grid like in 2024, and Mattia Binotto, head of Audi’s F1 program, aims to gradually climb up the standings.
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