Sauber’s 2025 season started on a high note with a strong points finish. Nico Hülkenberg’s P7 not only marked a solid result but also meant the team had already outperformed its entire 2024 points haul in just one race. Last season, the best result was an eighth-place finish by Zhou Guanyu in Qatar.
In Australia, Nico Hülkenberg delivered a clean and strategic drive, finishing ahead of both Ferraris and Oscar Piastri‘s McLaren. His result was aided by a well-executed race strategy, demonstrating that capitalizing on opportunities will be key in a tightly contested midfield battle.
While this result may not reflect the car’s true potential, it is encouraging for Sauber. Beyond the morale-boosting points, another key takeaway is the C45’s technical progress.
Understeer Remains a Limiting Factor for the C45
Testing revealed that the new car was stiff, unbalanced, and prone to understeer—particularly in slow corners. These characteristics persisted in Australia, as confirmed by Sauber Technical Director James Key after the season opener.
However, compared to Bahrain, there were clear performance improvements, achieved through both a better understanding of the car and new upgrades introduced in Melbourne. Sauber had focused on comparative testing during pre-season to determine the car’s operating window, and the first race brought the first real performance-oriented updates.
Commenting on the car’s performance, Key acknowledged that understeer was still an issue throughout the weekend, as seen in Bahrain:
“We suffered from understeer both in qualifying and in the early part of the race. It was a challenge throughout the weekend. However, the car felt better in the dry stint and in the final laps on intermediates.”
This issue is partly due to the track layout—Melbourne’s third sector favors cars with strong front-end grip—but also to the C45’s inherent characteristics.
“It’s a mix of both [track and car],” Key explained. “In qualifying, our sector-three times were where we lost ground, whereas we were competitive in the first two sectors. McLaren, for example, gained the most time in the final sector.”
“Having a car that rotates well in the last sector—especially in corners like 11, 13, and 14—makes a big difference. That’s where we struggled all weekend, especially with the front end.”
A Base-Spec C45 in Bahrain, Immediate Updates in Melbourne
The issues seen in testing resurfaced in Australia, but an important factor to consider is that the Bahrain-spec C45 was only a “base version.” The team had been waiting to introduce the first batch of upgrades, which were integral to the car’s intended design. This meant that the Bahrain struggles were exacerbated by the absence of key components.
For Melbourne, Sauber introduced a package of technical upgrades, including changes to the sidepods and a new front wing. Notably, this was already the third front wing iteration used by the team in early 2025. While the first two versions shared similarities, the latest design marked a significant step forward.
Two of the three front-wing flaps were redesigned. The upper flap now features more undulating lines compared to the second version seen in testing, while the slot gap between the second and third elements was widened due to modifications to the second flap. According to Key, the front wing provided immediate benefits, reducing understeer and improving overall balance.
“The upgrades worked well, which is fantastic. The front wing, in particular, performed very effectively. However, whether we optimized the car’s setup around these new parts remains to be seen—I believe we could have extracted more from the front end, both in qualifying and the race,” Key stated, acknowledging the progress while recognizing further improvements are needed.
“In Bahrain, we didn’t expect the front-end balance issues, but we knew we weren’t running the full race package yet. The front wing and sidepod updates were only introduced in Australia.”
“We also noticed some setup factors that had a greater impact than we anticipated. Fortunately, we identified these issues and gained a better understanding of the car. We expected an improvement with the new parts since the car was designed around this front wing and sidepod concept, which we didn’t have during testing.”
More upgrades will arrive in the coming races, starting with Japan. The Chinese Grand Prix will serve as a crucial test—Shanghai’s long corners could expose the C45’s understeer issues. However, the small but encouraging steps seen in Australia have given Sauber confidence in its development path.
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