Sauber has signed 20-year-old Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto to make his Formula 1 debut next year, where he will race alongside Nico Hülkenberg.
This decision means that Sauber’s current drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, will not have an F1 seat for 2025. Neither driver has scored any points this season, and Sauber’s car has struggled to be competitive.
By signing Bortoleto, who is currently leading the Formula 2 championship with just two races remaining, Sauber adds a mix of young talent and experience, with the 37-year-old Hülkenberg already on the team. Audi will take over Sauber and rebrand it as the Audi works team for 2026.
“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all of sports. Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor,” Bortoleto said in a statement.
“Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico.”
Bortoleto, who won the F3 championship last season, started racing in karting as a child before his family moved to Europe. He will be the first full-time Brazilian driver in F1 since Felipe Massa retired in 2017. Pietro Fittipaldi made two race appearances in 2020 as a substitute for an injured driver.
Bortoleto joined McLaren’s driver program last year, and McLaren has confirmed he will be released at the end of the 2024 season to pursue his F1 career.
“All the best for the future,” McLaren said. Bottas and Zhou have been with Sauber since 2022.
“After open and constructive discussions with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, we mutually concluded that conditions to continue together could not be met, so we agreed that it is time to part ways,” Sauber said.
“We would like to thank both for the contribution they have made to the team in the last three years. They have been the embodiment of professionalism, using their experience and enthusiasm to support our growth.”
Bottas, who joined Sauber from Mercedes, could reportedly return to his former team in a reserve role. “A situation like this is never easy for anyone,” he said.
