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Three drivers who could fill the open Sauber seat in 2025
Valtteri Bottas. Philippe Nanchino/Just Pictures/Sipa USA

Three drivers who could fill the open Sauber seat in 2025

When the 2025 Formula One season rolls around next March, there will be new faces at almost every team on the grid. Outside of Red Bull and McLaren, every other team on the grid will have either one or two new drivers, making the 2025 season some nice and fresh viewing for longtime F1 fans. 

While it is understandable that Lewis Hamilton's blockbuster move to Ferrari has taken up most of the headlines, another driver who will be joining a new team next season is Nico Hulkenberg, joining Sauber from Haas. It should be noted that Sauber will become Audi in 2026 following a takeover by the German manufacturer. 

Hulkenberg, as the first confirmed driver for the new project, makes a lot of sense. He is a reliable, veteran driver who has driven for several different teams, even racing for Sauber in the 2013 season. 

Who will partner with Hulkenberg has been a hot topic, given the abundance of quality options. Let's look at three possibilities in order from most likely to least likely.

Franco Colapinto

From the standpoint of Sauber, Colapinto would be a fantastic driver to pair with Hulkenberg to start a new era in 2025 before Sauber becomes Audi. The young Argentine driver has been catching the eyes of many since he replaced Logan Sargent at Williams midway through this season. 

Colapinto has taken the F1 world by storm, showing his pace and bravery on the track straight from the get-go. He finished 12th in his debut race in Monza before scoring his first points in F1, finishing eighth in Baku, just his second race in the top division.

Colapinto has proved that he deserves a seat for next season, and partnering him with Hulkenberg at Sauber makes sense for the young driver. Williams team principal James Vowles has spoken to Sauber about signing Colapinto as its second driver after showing in just three races that he is at the level needed in F1.

Valtteri Bottas

Much like Nico Hulkenberg, Valtteri Bottas is a safe option for the soon-to-be-rebranded Sauber team. Bottas has been at Sauber since the 2022 season when it was still known as Alfa Romeo and has consistently outperformed teammate Zhou Guanyu through all three of their seasons together. 

The Finnish driver has still not been offered a new contract from Sauber to continue with the team for next season. He has openly admitted he doesn't expect any miracles when it comes to having a seat for 2025 after failing to score a single point through the first 18 rounds of the season. 

At the moment, Bottas is looking like an unlikely option for Sauber, but in the end, he could remain with the team as a veteran option.

Gabriel Bortoleto 

Of the talented young drivers in F2, Gabriel Bortoleto is being tipped to make the jump to F1 for the 2025 season. The Brazilian driver currently sits atop the standings in F2, and he seems ready to make the jump to the top division in motorsport. 

Bortoleto is a protege of Fernando Alonso and has the backing of McLaren team principal Andrea Stella to join Sauber should the offer arise in the offseason. 

Sauber/Audi has a big decision on its hands when it comes to its driver partnership for 2025. The team has been very underwhelming this season, and having two fresh faces coming in next season could bring a bit of a spark ahead of the rebrand to Audi in 2026. 

Maximus Polek

Born and raised in the 716 of Buffalo NY, Max Polek had no choice but to grow up being a sports fan. At a young age, sports quickly took over his life and that love and obsession has only grown as he's gotten older. Max's favorite sports to watch and/or discuss with others are soccer, Formula 1, professional wrestling, tennis, NFL football and hockey

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