Sauber’s Challenging Season and Recent Improvements
Throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season, Sauber has averaged the slowest car based on ‘supertimes’. However, during the Spanish Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg managed to capitalize on a late-race restart, overtaking Lewis Hamilton to secure an impressive fifth place.
Significant Step Forward
Hulkenberg described the team’s first top-five finish in three years as a move that “puts us more on the map in the midfield fight,” highlighting the progress made with the upgrade package introduced for the race in Spain. Luck also played a role in his success, as he was the only driver on fresh soft tires during the final stint after a safety car pit stop, enabling him to overtake both isack Hadjar and Hamilton, and gain another position from Max Verstappen’s penalty.
Performance Analysis
In comparison to their previous performances, the improved capabilities of the car were evident. Gabriel Bortoleto qualified 12th, just 0.145 seconds shy of breaking into the top 10 during Q2, while Hulkenberg only made it through Q1 after his lap time dropped in the final sector. Despite this setback, the Sauber showcased its potential at a heavily aero-dependent track, indicating it could have reached Q3 with optimal execution.
Upgrades Focused on Driveability
The latest upgrades, which included a revamped floor, engine cover, and front wing, were not designed solely for enhanced downforce but rather aimed at addressing longstanding issues with the Sauber C45’s driveability. Sporting director Inaki Rueda mentioned that while peak downforce improvements were expected to be minimal, the real gain was in making the car easier to handle.
Adapting to Technical Changes
Despite the technical directive reducing front wing flexibility, Rueda noted that this adjustment contributed only a small part—about 10%—to the overall performance gain. On track during Friday practice, Hulkenberg’s run with the new upgrades, compared to the old specification used by Bortoleto, illustrated a significant difference in performance, with a time gap of 0.367 seconds that confirmed the upgrades’ effectiveness.
Future Outlook
While team principal Jonathan Wheatley was cautious about declaring Sauber’s turbulent air issues completely addressed, he observed that car performance seemed more stable. This is particularly important as generating downforce in a controlled manner is challenging with ground effect cars. The Spanish GP performance indicates that there will be weekends when Sauber can compete for points, finally reflecting a positive trajectory for a team that has struggled recently.
Morale Boost for the Team
“It’s huge,” Wheatley commented on the boost in team morale following the recent success. He expressed hope that this moment would serve as a catalyst for further progress along their roadmap towards improvement, emphasizing the hard work and passion present within the team.
