Martin Brundle and Karun Chandhok agree ‘incredible’ driver could get 2025 Audi seat

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Arguably the least desirable seat on the grid next season is alongside Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber.

Although Audi have officially taken 100% control of Sauber already, they won’t be on the Formula 1 grid until 2026.

At this stage, it’s hard to see them scoring a point before that introduction and the new ruleset given how far off the pace they currently are.

Zhou Guanyu is regularly running last in qualifying and the race itself, although he only lasted five laps at the Belgian Grand Prix before the car failed.

For his teammate Valtteri Bottas, he’s extracting as much performance out of the car as he can but it’s having very little effect.

Hulkenberg didn’t have the best weekend at Spa, but his current points tally of 22 is likely to be higher than what Sauber finish with at the end of the season.

Karun Chandhok and Martin Brundle were speaking about the situation at Audi on Sky Sports F1.

They analysed the options that Alessandro Alunni Bravi and more importantly new Audi boss Mattia Binotto have in front of them.

Both former F1 drivers came to the same conclusion that Bottas may just be the best candidate for that seat for 2025.

However, it might not be quite as straightforward as that within the team.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin

Karun Chandhok and Martin Brundle back Valtteri Bottas for 2025 Sauber / Audi seat

Reflecting on the driver market, Chandhok said: “That leaves us to talking about the Audi seat.

“I think Bottas is going to hang onto that seat now actually. He’s convincingly been ahead of Zhou, we know Nico Hulkenberg is signed.

“If they don’t get Sainz, I think Bottas is the option there.”

Brundle added: “Well I tend to agree with you and why not? He’s still got the speed and what they’ve got here is incredible experience.

“What they don’t have really is a world champion, they’ve got a race winner in Valtteri Bottas but as they’re building Sauber into the works Audi team, experience is what they need for now.

“So, that’s not a crazy suggestion at all Karun.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber from team principal to Audi future

Valtteri Bottas desperate to stay in F1 but Audi might not be his only option

It’s been said in the past that Bottas and the Audi team don’t see eye to eye anymore which may make a continuation of their relationship difficult.

Bottas appears to be on the shortlist for most of the team’s still searching for a driver although it’s hard to know just how close he is to the top of their list of options.

The Red Bull / RB situation will be of no interest to Bottas and it’s unlikely Mercedes will call on him to return in 2025.

That leaves Alpine, Williams and Audi and Williams are pushing hard to bring Carlos Sainz in after months of toing and froing.

Alpine don’t seem to know what they want at this stage and are keeping their options open.

It may be the case that staying at Sauber and hoping to earn a deal that takes him into the Audi era is Bottas’s best bet for continuing in Formula 1.

If he doesn’t, Bottas is being pursued by IndyCar teams to make a potential stateside switch in 2025.