Who should get the final open seat of F1 2025?

Audi faces a crunch decision on which driver should partner Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber in 2025. Here, our panel of Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Josh Suttill debate their picks for the final open seat on next year's F1 grid.

00:00 Sauber/Audi's driver problem
00:10 The case for taking a punt
01:10 The case for the incumbent
02:35 Doubts about Hulkenberg
03:00 Is continuity essential?
05:20 Overlooked drivers
06:00 The McLaren wildcard
08:00 A nice problem to have
10:25 No loan moves

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#f1 #formula1 #formulaone #grandprix #f12024 #f1news #therace #audi #sauber #valtteribottas #mclaren #williams #francocolapinto

[viiviketomaki]

It's weird saying this as a Finn but I think it's time for Bortoletto or Colapinto. I'm tired of hearing about continuity. What the team and the sport needs is a proper shot in the arm. I like Bottas but the team clearly doesn't care about him anymore, they replaced his race engineer without telling him. Having another year of Bottas in that hideous green Stake uniform for the sake of continuity feels like staying together "for the kids".

[johnpatricklim]

Easy, bring back Nick Heidfeld....he's always Sauber's option....

[SBX]

If I were Williams I would hold on to Colapinto because you never know what might happen if a seat opens up at one of the top teams, they could lose Carlos Sainz and then be left scrambling for a replacement.

[adityasreekar]

colapinto should get this seat. he is very talented and he would be great for audi in the long term

[lagundafire]

I think it should be Bottas. Honestly Sauber will waste colapinto. He’s best served waiting for a more competitive seat

[johncnorris]

12 legitimate F1 teams would solve a lot of problems.

[sophie]

I don't get this argument about who is the fastest Driver to pick. Sauber doesn't need a fast driver, it needs a Driver that can make the car quick. and that choice, is pretty obviously, Bottas.
He has seen how it can go right, he has seen what goes wrong. he holds the insight in a team that has seen quite a bit of change over the last time.
I believe that colapinto or bordaletto may be quicker, but what use is that in a car that is currently the slowest..?

[Javadamutt]

One point not mentioned was consistency. It's one thing to hop in a car for a handful of races, its another to hop in over a season with all the ups and downs of retirements caused by your mistakes or not. Follow it up with that second season that drivers struggle when they are expected to match and surpass their first season and the pressure ramps up.

The world has seen Bottas when things aren't going well, they know two or three bad races aren't a spiral. Can the same be said for any of those rookies when the pressure is perceived to be on and they bin it

[BlackFantasy]

Honestly, since the team is still technically Sauber next year they should finally give the seat to their own junior, Théo Pourchaire.

[alexanderrotmensz]

Everyone always forgets about Pourchaire...

[muradtechwizard]

Summary
the best option in every perspective : Valterri bottas
The Young and greatly analysed option: Franco Colapinto
The best young option but no F1 experience: Gabriel
My favorite option which wasn't. mentioned : DR3 or Sebastian Vettel

[rgbcom]

I know this question can't wait till the end of the season, but objectively ( and I root for my fellow countryman) I would like to see how Colapinto performs in the upcoming races to say he deserves the seat in 2025.

[eduardosandes]

F2 is such a joke… if neither Pourchaire nor Bortoleto nor Drugovich honestly 3 years in a row in which the F2 champion doesn’t get in F1. If winning F2 means nothing just get rid of it

[slipinc]

The best option for Sauber would be Drugovich, but you are not ready for that conversation

[ICantSplel]

I'll do it. I almost beat G.Ceara on Super Monaco GP on the Mega Drive 30 years ago. Think I'm most qualified.

[PedroOli]

Bortoleto is copying Piastri's path, much faster then colapinto everytime they raced together, and Bottas already gave what he had to the team and the sport

[emmanuelsengo]

I would say Théo Pourchaire cause I think he deserves a chance in F1. But if Audi want experience Bottas is their main man. This is why f1 need more teams

[kear]

I like this video format. Debate style, convincing arguments.

[pfranco]

Bortoleto the top talent in F2 hands down. Guy is a rookie and is going to win the title

[NN_]

Theres too much emphasis on "exciting" new rookies. They end up getting thrown into the deep end and burning out too quick. There is no substitution for wisdom and experience.