Kick Sauber’s greatest and worst moments from 2025 to date and driver head-to-heads

After ending all-time low in P10 for the 2024 season, Kick Sauber presently maintain seventh place within the Groups’ Standings on the halfway level of 2025, a season by which they’ve improved drastically on the frustration of final yr. With the model new line-up of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto delivering to date, after changing Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, a good battle awaits within the midfield positions. Can Sauber discover extra factors and podium finishes within the second half of the marketing campaign? Let’s check out their half time period report…

Greatest end

Hulkenberg – third in Britain

Hulkenberg’s podium end at Silverstone was one of many fairytale tales of the yr as he secured a spot within the prime three for the primary time on his 239th Grand Prix begin. It stated all of it because the skilled German later revealed he had over 700 messages of congratulations to wade by means of afterwards.

The 38-year-old completely navigated the treacherous wet-dry circumstances that hit the British Grand Prix, rising from a P19 begin on the grid to a spot on the podium, as he additionally held off house hero Lewis Hamilton within the latter levels of the race.

“It’s been a very long time coming, hasn’t it?” Hulkenberg stated afterwards. “I all the time knew we’ve it in us, and I’ve it in me someplace.”

Qualifying head-to-head

Hulkenberg 6-8 Bortoleto

The extra skilled Hulkenberg, identified for his prowess over one lap, is behind his rookie group mate Bortoleto within the Qualifying battle to date this yr, with the Brazilian’s eye-catching P7 in Hungarian GP Qualifying a specific excessive level – it was his better of the season to date.

In distinction, Hulkenberg’s greatest grid begin was eleventh on the Canadian Grand Prix in Monaco, with the German enduring one thing of a rollercoaster season on the subject of his Qualifying outcomes.

Race head-to-head

Hulkenberg* 8-5 Bortoleto

Whereas final yr’s F2 champion Bortoleto has edged the Qualifying stats this season, Hulkenberg leads the race head-to head stats between the Sauber pair.

A lot of that has come all the way down to some really sensible rises up the order from the German. From Spherical 9 in Spain he launched into a constant run of top-10 finishes corresponding to P5 in Barcelona (having began fifteenth on the grid), P8 in Canada (having began P11) and the aformentioned podium at Silverstone.

Bortoleto has had some spectacular race outcomes of his personal, nonetheless, significantly within the run-up to the August break. Eighth in Austria, ninth in Belgium and a surprising sixth final day out in Hungary demonstrates how a lot the Brazilian has enhance of late.

*Hulkenberg was disqualified from the Bahrain Grand Prix on account of extreme skid block put on on his Kick Sauber

Greatest second

As soon as once more we’ve to say Hulkenberg’s podium end in Silverstone – unsurprisingly that must be Sauber’s greatest second from the season to date. Not solely did it finish Hulkenberg’s 15-year wait to succeed in the podium nevertheless it was Sauber’s first podium since Japan 2012 with Kamui Kobayashi.

Wanting again on his podium just some weeks later in Belgium, Hulkenberg stated the response to his P3 was “overwhelming” however he additionally defined that he hoped it might give the group the push to maintain up momentum.

Bortoleto’s sixth-place end in Hungary additionally deserves a point out, because it showcases the step ahead each the rookie and the broader group have made this yr.

Worst second

It appears like a very long time in the past, however Sauber didn’t benefit from the best begin of the season with the squad enduring a point-less run between Rounds 2 and eight. The low level of that stint was Hulkenberg’s disqualification from the Bahrain Grand Prix after stewards discovered his automobile had extreme skid block put on. Nobody needs to have a disqualification on their file for the season.

Bortoleto has additionally had low moments of his personal this season, with three DNFs to his title – in Australia, Miami and in Silverstone. Whereas his group mate went on to safe that well-known podium, Bortoleto’s personal British Grand Prix ended after he “made a mistake” in opting to pit for slick tyres initially of the race earlier than spinning off just a few laps later.

Going ahead

Sauber have made spectacular progress this yr and are effectively within the combine to be better of the midfield – they’re only one level behind sixth-placed Aston Martin and 19 factors behind fifth-placed Williams.

With their transformation into Audi coming subsequent season, this bodes effectively for what’s to return, and Group Principal Jonathan Wheatley seems to have the squad on the proper path after becoming a member of the group on April 1.

With 10 races left to go in 2025, the Hinwil-based group have to maintain showcasing the progress they’ve already demonstrated forward of subsequent season with the automobile and an opportunity to complete fifth is an excellent aim to have contemplating how 2024 panned out.

In Hulkenberg and Bortoleto in addition they have a super mix of youth and expertise, and persevering with to get one of the best out of that pairing forward of 2026 can be prime of the agenda with a brand new period beckoning.