Young driver tipped to spice up Sauber “retirement home”

Sauber are reportedly already considering fresh, future driver options.

They will head into 2025 with Nico Hulkenberg as their driver, and Valtteri Bottas hopes to stay alongside him.

The pair of F1 veterans mean Sauber have been labelled a “retirement home” by Blick, a Swiss-German newspaper.

The newspaper also reports that Sauber are considering who could replace Bottas, with a young driver at the top of their wish-list.

Gabriel Bortoleto is the driver named by Blick.

Bortoleto currently tops the Formula 2 standings.

But he has missed out on a promotion into F1 for 2025.

Bortoleto is a part of McLaren’s driver programme but could sign for Sauber next year, Blick report.

That would enable him to sit in the background for one year before taking over a full-time race seat, the report claims.

Sauber are the only F1 team to have failed to score a single point so far.

They will retain their current identity next year before becoming Audi - who have big plans - in 2026 when the new rules begin.

Red Bull’s Jonathan Wheatley will become team principal, while ex-Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has already joined Audi in a senior role.