Sauber’s 2025 F1 season so far can be divided into two very different halves: a first half that comprised just a single points finish (Nico Hülkenberg’s excellent P7 in the rain-affected Australian GP), with a car that struggled in dirty air and lacked overall performance, to a second half that has finally given its drivers a good platform to work with. After the floor update at the Spanish GP, the team has had a series of strong points finishes, the highlight being Hülkenberg’s stunning podium in Silverstone.
How the trend has changed after a tough start to the year
When asked to reflect on his campaign so far, the German labelled his first half of the year “more positive than anything else“, after coming back to Sauber F1 12 years on from his single season at the Swiss squad in 2013, Hülkenberg found a team that was able to turn its fortunes around mid-season in a very competent and professional manner, even if the start of the journey wasn’t quite as he expected it:
“Well, if I look back and reflect on it, I think it’s definitely more positive than anything else,” he said. “Obviously, if you consider and look from winter testing where we started, the first couple of races, and then since Barcelona, five races consecutively in the points, a podium, a couple of really strong drives and performances from us. So, I think the trend is right.”
A key set of upgrades at the Spanish GP
During winter testing, Sauber ran a car that was mostly its 2024 challenger, which meant it was by far the slowest and most difficult car to drive in Bahrain. The 2025 specification parts arrived at the Australian GP, making a solid step that propelled it into the fringes of getting out of Q1 on its day.
He admitted things were looking “pretty grim” for the team at the start of the year. But their fortunes really started to turn at the Spanish GP, when the Hinwill squad introduced three major upgrades to the C45, concerning the floor, the engine cover and a new front wing, which immediately paid dividends as Hülkenberg finished an astonishing P5 in Barcelona, getting ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari on merit in the closing stages of the race.
“It would have been nice to start there, but it became different,” he reflected. “But definitely recently, I think we are heading in the right direction. But, you know, it remains the same thing in the midfield. There are basically five teams that are very, very close to each other. Depending on the day, on the circuit, on the conditions, it swings around a bit, the momentum.”
No more upgrades for the remainder of the year
With the major technical regulations change looming ahead of the 2026 season, Hülkenberg believes the team’s full focus will turn to that, meaning there’s no more upgrades to come for the C45 for the remainder of the season, which means the only difference between them and their midfield rivals from now on will be whether the track inherently suits one car’s characteristics or another:
“Our package is what we have. I don’t think that we or many other teams are still developing much for this year. Because by now, I think the focus has shifted to next year because it’s obviously so different.
“So I think not much will change. Like I said, I think it’s more like track dependence that will influence it a bit.”
Sauber now sits seventh in the constructor’s championship, with 51 points to their name, just 19 less than Williams, who is currently fifth and on 70 points. Meanwhile, Hülkenberg is 9th in the drivers’ championship, scoring 37 of Sauber’s total of 51 points.
