Kick Sauber Makes a Comeback
Kick Sauber has found new life in 2025. After two tough seasons with last place in 2024 and P9 in 2023 in the constructors’ championship, the team has suddenly risen as a midfield force. Just today in Austria, they secured their first double points since Qatar in 2023, with rookie Gabriel Bortoleto scoring his first-ever F1 point and Nico Hülkenberg finishing close behind. This marks a dramatic turnaround, from scoring only one race all last year to now regularly featuring in the top ten. With major management changes in play and Audi’s 2026 arrival looming, the team is finally showing real momentum.
The turnaround began early this season. Everyone expected Sauber to struggle again in 2025, but they surprised us. Hülkenberg kicked things off with a strong P7 in Australia, a big sign of life after a forgettable season in 2024, where only Zhou Guanyu took P8 in Qatar. Then, Hülkenberg followed up with three consecutive scoring finishes in the three most recent races in Spain at P5, Canada at P8, and now Austria at P9. This consistency is huge for the team. Meanwhile, Bortoleto secured his first point in Austria, finishing in P8, converting his impressive Austrian qualifying into a solid result.
The race at the Red Bull Ring confirmed this revival. Bortoleto held P8 from lights-out to finish, earning “Driver of the Day” and showing strong race management. Hülkenberg was also impressive, starting last and clawing back to P9 by the end. He credited race pace and team strategy for the climb. This double-points finish adds six valuable points to Sauber’s 2025 tally, pushing them into a midfield fight and signaling they belong among teams like Aston Martin and Haas. The difference this year lies not just in the drivers but in leadership and future direction. Sauber replaced Andreas Seidl with Jonathan Wheatley as Team Principal and added technical veteran Mattia Binotto. This new management team seems to have unlocked better car upgrades and race strategy. The results speak for themselves: Sauber is now scoring consistently and confidently, not just scraping by.
Looking ahead, Sauber’s momentum couldn’t come at a better time. With Audi officially taking over in 2026, Sauber is becoming Audi’s factory team. They’ve already signed Hülkenberg on a multi-year contract to guide the transition and developed Bortoleto as a future talent. This season’s strong form shows they can hit the ground running with Audi’s backing, and could quickly move into high midfield or even podium contention once big budgets arrive. Sauber’s story in 2025 feels like a comeback movie. From just scoring five points in 2024, they’ve flipped the script with regular top-10 finishes, a rookie point scorer, and management that looks like it understands the path forward. With Audi arriving and momentum on their side, the next season could be even better. If Sauber keeps building on this strong foundation, it won’t just be a rebound; it’ll be a transformation.
