ANALYSIS: Why Sauber chose to go with Bortoleto and youth rather than Bottas and experience

After months of deliberations, Sauber/Audi have opted for youth over experience by signing highly-rated Brazilian racer Gabriel Bortoleto to be Nico Hulkenberg’s team mate in an all-new line-up for 2025. What tipped the scales in the 20-year-old’s favour?

Sauber/Audi’s pursuit of a second driver for 2025 has been a hell of a journey. They were laser-focused on wooing Carlos Sainz after the Spaniard lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton, but after a long, protracted pursuit, they lost out to Williams.

READ MORE: Kick Sauber confirm rookie Bortoleto as second driver for 2025

They then took some time out to consider all their options – a process that was delayed when management opted to bring in former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto as their Formula 1 project lead, with Andreas Seidl departing the organisation after just 18 months.

When they restarted talks, incumbent Valtteri Bottas became the frontrunner. This was a major U-turn as the previous management hadn’t been interested in discussing an extension that would extend his stay into a fourth campaign.

It is believed senior management initially liked the idea of continuity in one seat – with Hulkenberg joining from Haas in the other seat – and felt Bottas’ extensive experience (he’s driven for Williams and Mercedes previously) could be useful in dragging the team off the bottom of the standings.

But as Binotto continued to evaluate Bottas’ contribution, assessed what he had to work with and formulated the plan he believed can revive the squad’s long-term fortunes ahead of Audi’s arrival as a factory team in 2026, the benefits of signing a young talent started to entice him and the organisation.

While they accept it would be challenging for a rookie to get to grips with what is currently a difficult machine to drive, this could be outweighed by the long-term gains of investing in a rising star.

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Sauber has a long history of bringing young drivers through and giving them a chance, from Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa to Robert Kubica and Sergio Perez. All of them went on to win Grands Prix.

By signing a young driver on a long-term deal, the Swiss operation could continue that tradition into the team’s new era with Audi.

So, the team began to explore their options – and there were some particularly exciting choices out there to evaluate.

Franco Colapinto had made an instant impression at Williams since replacing Logan Sargeant – and the Argentine was in need of a seat as Williams will be full next season having already signed Carlos Sainz to partner Alex Albon.

Gabriel Bortoleto was making a name for himself in the junior categories, the Brazilian leading the F2 championship with two rounds to go – having won last year’s F3 title at the first attempt.

Sauber/Audi entertained discussions with Williams about Colapinto – with boss James Vowles actively trying to get him the seat – and opened talks with Bortoleto’s team (he’s part of Fernando Alonso’s driver management agency A14) and McLaren.

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They also listened to interest from Mercedes junior Mick Schumacher and considered promoting their reserve driver Theo Pourchaire.

Sauber/Audi had a red line, though. They were only interested in signing a driver outright. Loan deals were a no-go.

That almost immediately curtailed Colapinto’s hopes – with Williams boss James Vowles keen to keep him on the books having signed the Argentine long-term.

Bortoleto had ties to McLaren, having joined their junior programme ahead of this season and tested the team’s 2022-spec car, but it soon became clear that the British team were willing to let him go if he could get a race seat.

With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri signed to long-term deals, the prospect of Bortoleto getting a McLaren race seat in the short-term were slim.

Ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, talks zeroed in on two drivers – Bottas and Bortoleto.

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Very quickly, Sauber/Audi and Bottas’ management agreed to terms. It just needed the final signature. In tandem, Sauber/Audi continued talks with Bortoleto and his team about a potential arrangement.

And over the course of the Brazilian weekend – where Bortoleto’s team were in the paddock at Interlagos – an agreement was reached and this was the one Sauber/Audi decided to activate.

The details were fleshed out early this week, with Bortoleto having a photo shoot on Tuesday ahead of the announcement of a multi-year deal on Wednesday.

The Brazilian rookie will be up against it in a car that has failed to score a point so far this year - but the opportunity to race in Formula 1 and on a long-term deal was too good to turn down.

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In Hulkenberg, the Brazilian will have a driver who is operating on a high level in the twilight of his career – and whom he can learn from – and, in Sauber, he'll have a team who have proved they can develop young drivers.

For Sauber/Audi, they get one of the hottest young talents, who is on course to do what Charles Leclerc and George Russell did before him – win the F3 and F2 titles back-to-back at the first attempt. It feels like a win-win for all.