During F1’sꩲ 2024♈ summer break there’s just three spots on the grid still up for grabs.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes seat looks destined to be Andrea Kimi Antonelli's, barring a shock decision to leave Red Bull from 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen.

Jack Doohan is thought to be the frontrunner to replace 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Esteban Ocon at ꦛAlpine for next year, leaving on♍e seat at Sauber/Audi.

Audi missed out on their top target with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz opting to join Williams, a♛nd similarly with Esteban Ocon,🌱 who will join Haas.

This leaves the team in a precarious position as they decide who to partner 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Hulkenberg for F1 2025.

The rumours swirling around Sauber’s driver line-up have suggested that senior management were keen to have a clean sweep - replacing both 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Valtteri Bottas and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Zhou Guanyu.

꧙However, with a change of management, with Mattia Binotto coming in, that might ju🏅st change.

The obvious choice

While i💧n some people’s eyes it’s not the mo🐓st exciting choice, Bottas is the obvious choice for Sauber in 2025.

Deღspite scoring zero points in the opening 14 races, you can make t𒅌he argument 2024 has been Bottas’ strongest since joining the team from Mercedes.

Bottas leads teamm☂ate Zhou 13-1 in the qualifyingꦅ head-to-head, with the average margin between the pair between 0.4s to 0.5s.

The Finn’s dominance over Zhou is similar to 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen’s over 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sergio Perez, and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alex Albon against 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Logan Sargeant.

While statistically-speaking, Zhou has fared better during the races (Bottas only l🔜eads this 9-5), bizarre strategy calls and pit stops, granted for both drivers, make it difficult to gaug🤪e race day fairly.

Bottas does indeed sit 21st in the drivers’ champion☂ship - 21 out of 20 drivers isn’t a♏ good look - it’s hardly been his fault.

He was in the hunt for points in Australia and China, but po🅷or pi♏t stops and reliability put him out of contention.

Bottas remains quick and aloꦡngside Hulkenberg a speedy, reliable midfield pai🐓ring.

Given Sauber have comfortably the slowest team i💞n F1 20𓆉24, a Bottas-Hulkenberg pairing is certainly more than they deserve.

The lack of options

Sauber’s reཧjections from the likes of Sainz and Ocon gi꧑ves them limited options.

In terms of the current grid, Zhou and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Kevin Magnussen would be underwhelming to say the least, particularly for a�🎉� works outfit like Audi.

The Red Bull situation is an interesting one.

♕Had Perez been dropped mid-season, there’s no doubt that a return to Hinwil could have been on the cards.

Let’s not foᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrget prior to joining Red Bull, Perez was dubbed ‘king of the midfield’, and his Mexican backing always makes him an attractive option despite his ꦓpoor form against Verstappen.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Liam Lawson or 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Daniel Ricciardo could also be available to Sauber for next year depen😼ding on how the Perez situation plays out.

While in raw performance terms neither of them wo♉uld be an upgrade on Bottas, it would inject some new life into the team, should they want tha💟t.

The wildcard option

As first reported by , F2 star Gabrielꦯ Bortoleto has emerged as an unlikely conte🐲nder.

The 19-year-old Brazilian is currently part of McLaren’s pool of drivers ha🦩ving joined their development programme in 2023.

Bortoleto has starred in his rookie F2 season and currently sits second in the standingꩵs behind Red Bull-backed dꦦriver Isack Hadjar.

With Bearman, Doohan and𝓀 Antonelli all set to join the grid in 2025, Sauber might feel it’s the perfect opportunity t꧟o give some fresh blood an opportunity ahead of the major rule changes in 2026.

With no Brazilian on the F1 grid since 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Felipe Massa in 2017, Borto🙈leto would fill that void and tap into a market longing for their next motorsport superstar.