Mattia Binotto has added former F3 champion to Sauber shortlist for 2025 seat

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Sauber will hope that the Dutch Grand Prix is the turning point in their tumultuous season after 14 race weekends without scoring a point.

With Audi’s introduction to the grid getting closer and closer, they’ll be desperate to see a large uptick in performance over the course of the next 18 months to avoid running at the back of the field during their debut season.

Changes are happening within the team now that are hopefully putting Audi in the best position possible when they make their Formula 1 bow amid a new set of regulations in 2026.

Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann are gone and Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley are in.

While Wheatley will go on gardening leave at the end of the year, Binotto is getting to work right away.

One of the conundrums he’s facing immediately is who is going to be driving for Sauber next season.

Nico Hulkenberg is already signed up after a phenomenal 2024 campaign and journalist Piergiuseppe Donadoni has taken to X to name another driver who is in the frame to be the German’s teammate.

Sauber made a surprise announcement ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix that Robert Shwartzman will be taking part in FP1 at Zandvoort.

The former Formula 3 champion is still part of the Ferrari academy and that partnership has offered him a way into the paddock this weekend.

However, Donadoni also believes that Shwartzman is on Binotto’s shortlist for the second Sauber seat next year.

He could potentially even be ahead of two drivers already contracted to the team in a blow to their Formula 1 hopes.

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Robert Shwartzman on Mattia Binotto’s shortlist for the 2025 Sauber seat

Posting on X after the announcement that Shwartzman will take part in Friday’s practice session, Donadoni said: “Not a surprise Shwartzman in the Sauber in FP1 in Holland. Maloney and Pourchaire are the Sauber reserves but on Binotto’s list for the second 2025 seat, in addition to the surprise Bortoleto, there is also Shwartzman as anticipated at the beginning of August.”

Donadoni was then asked about the rumours linking Shwartzman to Prema’s IndyCar team and he added: “True, very hot track that in fact in the article I had specifically written about a strong interest coming from Indycar.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Sauber and Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto

Robert Shwartzman’s racing career ahead of FP1 appearance with Sauber at Zandvoort

Shwartzman had a fantastic junior career, finishing 3^rd in Italian Formula 4 before finishing in the same position in the championship in Formula Renault Eurocup and his debut Formula 3 season.

In 2019, Shwartzman won F3 with Prema, defeating the likes of IndyCar star Marcus Armstrong and Formula E driver Jake Hughes.

Shwartzman then spent two years in Formula 2 and finished runner-up to Oscar Piastri in 2021 before moving on to a new challenge.

The Australian made his way into F1 and Shwartzman believes Piatri is more deserving of his seat than someone like Yuki Tsunoda.

Shwartzman hasn’t given up on his F1 dream and his call-up by Sauber at Zandvoort highlights that he’s still being considered by teams in the paddock.

It would be a real surprise if Binotto opted for Shwartzman over someone as experienced as Bottas but stranger things have happened in Formula 1.