Sauber boss Jonathan Wheatley is adamant the team’s continued development through the 2025 Formula 1 season won’t compromise its transition to Audi in 2026.
The Swiss outfit arrived in Spain with a sizeable upgrade package and followed it up with further improvements at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The results have been clear: Nico Hukenberg secured three consecutive points finishes, including a maiden podium, while both drivers scored points at the Red Bull Ring.
Now sitting sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, Sauber is steadily closing the gap on fifth-placed Williams, maintaining strong momentum as the season unfolds.
The team has been run under Mattia Binotto, who was brought in as CEO in 2023 to lead Sauber through the upcoming Audi transition.
Despite some concerns that focusing on this year’s upgrades might impact preparations for 2026, Wheatley remains confident it can succeed on both fronts.
Speaking ahead of Sauber’s double points haul in Austria, the 58-year-old emphasised that the team remains fully committed to improving its 2025 prospects.
“I think there’s everything to play for – this championship isn’t over – we haven’t given up on it,” Wheatley told media including Motorsport Week.
“We’re not here to mess around and just make up the numbers. We’re ambitious, and we’ve got targets we want to hit.
“We don’t feel at the moment it’s making any impact – well, Mattia tells me it’s not making any impact – on our 2026 car.
“Mattia and the team back at the factory, there’s an energy about the progressive development of the car and going in the right steps.
“I’m not saying it’s going to keep going until Abu Dhabi, but at the moment, it’s encouraging.”
Sauber’s Upgrades drive confidence and podium breakthrough
Sauber’s upgrades have had a noticeable impact, especially at Silverstone, where, despite a challenging qualifying session, Hulkenberg secured his first podium.
The improvements, aimed at widening the operating window and improving drivability, have given the drivers greater confidence on track, resulting in a more manageable car.
“I think we’ve all seen a confidence in both drivers with the car since Barcelona,” Wheatley explained.
“I think that’s it – it was very peaky before. You probably noticed it was difficult for the drivers to consistently improve in qualifying, which was one of our big problems.
“I can remember in Jeddah, even on the brakes into Turn 1, both drivers had problems getting that right. Now, we don’t even talk about it.”
On the team’s ambitions in the championship and whether fifth place has become a realistic goal, Wheatley was cautiously optimistic: “I’m going to keep my feet on the ground.
“If you’d have asked me that yesterday, in a dry race, I think it would be a very different situation.
“We’re just going to take it a race at a time. We’re enjoying our race. We put more performance on the car again this weekend. Let’s see what Spa holds for us.”
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