Sauber continues its steady climb from the back of the grid. Alongside Red Bull, the Swiss team is one of the first to introduce updates for its 2025 car, reaffirming the effectiveness and speed of development seen in its late-2024 resurgence. The C45 has consistently reached Q2 in all qualifying sessions so far, keeping the team in the midfield battle—an essential condition for continued growth.
Encouraging start
The first two rounds in Australia and China suggest that Williams and Racing Bulls are the midfield benchmarks, though the gaps remain tight. In Melbourne, for instance, Haas was the slowest team, struggling with aerodynamic instability in fast corners, only to show up in Shanghai in much better shape. Sauber has also had a promising start, having spent much of 2024 as the slowest car on the grid but now closing in on its rivals for points.
The Hinwil-based team kicked off the season with a valuable seventh place for Nico Hülkenberg in Australia, thanks mainly to strategic calls in a chaotic, weather-affected race. However, the C45 itself has shown significantly greater technical potential than its predecessor. In both races held in China, the Saubers remained outside the points, but their P14 and P12 results in qualifying over the weekend were encouraging. These performances prove that their Q2 appearance in Melbourne was no fluke, validating the improvements made to the new car, including the first updates.
The upgrades
In China, Sauber tested an experimental engine cover, following up on developments introduced in the season opener. In Australia, the team fitted the C45 with a new front wing featuring revised upper profiles, indicating a new aerodynamic load distribution and a partial reorganization of airflow directed toward the suspension arms and the floor-sidepod area. The updated wing also differs from its predecessor in the placement of support elements between the profiles and the curvature of the endplate panels.
The updates don’t stop there. Compared to the launch version, Sauber has also modified the radiator intake area, featuring an interesting vortex generator on the outer surface to help divert turbulence away from the floor. It may seem surprising that a team without title ambitions is investing heavily in development ahead of a major regulation change. However, Sauber is focused on securing increasing financial rewards based on its position in the Constructors’ standings while staying competitive with its rivals. This approach is crucial for the team’s continued growth as it prepares for Audi’s entry, with Mattia Binotto setting a clear goal of achieving success by 2030.
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