During the Saudi Arabian GP, an incident involving Lance Stroll presented a significant moment for teams that have not yet scored points. Sauber’s performance this season has been less impressive and rumors have circulated about possible changes in their driver lineup. It has been suggested that Valtteri Bottas may leave by the end of 2023.
Looking at their transformation into Audi in 2026 under the leadership of Andreas Seidl, Sauber is generating expectations regarding the new driver pairings and strategies. Christian Menath, a journalist from the YouTube channel Motorsport-Magazin, shed light on possible changes within the Swiss team, indicating dissatisfaction with their current drivers.
Despite the lack of points this season, Sauber, soon to be renamed Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, faces a challenging path ahead. The competitive gap has widened, making it difficult for teams like Sauber to break into the top ten. However, an opportunity arose during the Saudi Arabian GP after Lance Stroll’s accident, which Haas took advantage of, securing a point for Nico Hulkenberg and capturing Sauber’s attention with their strategic move.
Seidl, an admirer of Hulkenberg, considers him as a possible replacement for Zhou, suggesting the possibility of changes in the lineup. Menath stated that Sauber is not completely satisfied with their current drivers and that there may be two vacancies to be filled. This indicates that Sauber’s ambitions, especially with their future partnership with Audi, may lean towards a team that does not rely on paying drivers, signifying a significant change in their approach.
La situación con Bottas sigue siendo incierta. Su antiguo equipo, Williams, ha pospuesto la confirmación de su alineación de pilotos, sugiriendo una posible oportunidad para Bottas si queda disponible. Ahora, Bottas enfrenta el desafío de demostrar su valía para Sauber en las carreras restantes para asegurar su posición en la próxima temporada. Si necesita seguir adelante, existe la posibilidad de buscar nuevas oportunidades o centrarse en otros intereses.
Fuente: https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/formula-1-team-boss-wanted-to-get-rid-of-225-race-driver-at-the-end-of-2023/
