Otmar Szafnauer explains why Nico Hulkenberg is the perfect F1 driver for 2025

Follow us on Google Discover

At the start of the 2024 season, one of the most intriguing aspects of the driver market was seeing which two drivers were going to end up at Sauber.

Sauber were coming into the season with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu as their driver pairing for the third season in succession.

However, both driver’s contracts are coming to an end and with Audi’s complete takeover of the team on the horizon, they’re now fighting for their Formula 1 future.

Before a wheel had turned, the prospect of joining Sauber was very enticing with seats at works F1 teams very rarely opening up.

That was enough for Nico Hulkenberg to commit to the team for 2025 and beyond after the Chinese Grand Prix.

After five race weekends, Sauber had yet to score a point while Hulkenberg had already recorded three top-10 finishes.

Unfortunately, progress has been slow at the factory at Hinwil and the team are still waiting to get off the mark beyond the halfway stage of the season.

Otmar Szafnauer was speaking on the James Allen on F1 Podcast and talking about next season.

Szafnauer previously worked with Hulkenberg for several seasons at Force India and saw some of the German’s best Formula 1 performances.

The former Alpine team principal has now explained why he thinks Hulkenberg is such a good asset for 2025.

While things may look bleak at Sauber right now, the 36-year-old could be the shining light for the team and they’ll be praying he continues his fine form into next season.

READ MORE: Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg’s life outside F1 from wife to height

Otmar Szafnauer explains why Nico Hulkenberg is the perfect driver for 2025

Talking about what he would look for in a driver for next season, Szafnauer said: “I would like for that transition year to have one experienced driver, that’s for sure.

“And I always like to have one driver that could get a lap out of it.

“Like I said, Hulkenberg. And that kind of tells you, if you know and you’re confident that the driver can get a lap out of it, it tells you where the car is.

“If you’re always doubting it and saying, yeah, he’s a great racing driver, but he always leaves something on the table and qualifying, then you’re always doubting whether your car is good enough or the car is good and the driver isn’t.

“So [that’s] what I would look for. But definitely, in a rule-change situation, experience matters much more.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Haas F1 Team from team principal to Ferrari relationship

Who could drive alongside Nico Hulkenberg for Sauber next season?

There are four available seats on the 2025 grid although the driver’s market might be more straightforward than that.

Mercedes appear set to promote Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton, while the Red Bull seats are a closed shop and if there are changes ahead of next year, they’ll promote from within.

That leaves Alpine and Sauber as the final two teams yet to decide who will partner Pierre Gasly and Hulkenberg respectively.

Valtteri Bottas has emerged as a likely candidate to stay at Sauber and given his preference for signing longer contracts after existing year-to-year at Mercedes, he’ll hope to be part of the Audi project in 2026.

Liam Lawson could also be in the frame to join Sauber with Red Bull forced to let the young Kiwi leave at the end of September if they can’t find a race seat for him in 2025.

Another name that has been linked with Sauber for next season is Mick Schumacher as he seeks a path back into Formula 1.

That seems like more of an outside shot at this stage but as this year has proved, anything can happen in the driver’s market.