- Sauber F1 team set to become Audi’s factory team in 2026
- Sauber drops current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu
- Replacements Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg named
The Sauber Formula 1 team will have a new pair of drivers on the grid next season ahead of its switch to Audi’s factory team in 2026.
The struggling Swiss team announced on Wednesday that it is dropping current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu at the end of 2024.
The announcement coincided with news of the signing of Gabriel Bortoleto for the 2025 season. Bortoleto, who will be the first Brazilian in F1 since Felipe Massa retired in 2017, currently leads the F2 championship which has two rounds left to go.
The talented 20-year-old has been part of McLaren’s driver development program since 2023 and is the reigning F3 champion. In a statement, McLaren said it is happy with current drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and won’t stand in the way of an opportunity for Bortoleto to drive with another team.
Gabriel Bortoleto – Photo via Sauber
Sauber previously announced in April that German F1 veteran Nico Hülkenberg would drive for the squad in 2025. Hülkenberg currently drives for Haas but the American team has new drivers on the way for 2025 in current Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman.
Sauber has struggled this season and remains the only team yet to score a point. Bottas and Guanyu also both sit on zero points. Guanyu made his F1 debut with Alfa Romeo in 2022 and stayed with the team after it returned to its original Sauber name in 2024. His best finish is ninth place, which he has achieved three times.
Valtteri Bottas (left) and Zhou Guanyu – Photo via Sauber
Bottas has 10 wins under his belt, all of them achieved while he was with Mercedes-Benz AMG. He also joined Alfa Romeo in 2022 but has struggled to gain any ground since then.
The only remaining F1 seat for 2025 is at RB. The Red Bull Racing feeder team has already confirmed current driver Yuki Tsunoda for the next season. Liam Lawson, who currently drives alongside Tsunoda, is almost certain to pick up the remaining seat given his strong performance since joining the squad after the Singapore Grand Prix as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement.
