Mattia Binotto wants Sauber to ‘seize every opportunity’ as F1 begins the first triple-header of 2025 at the Japanese Grand Prix before visiting Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
This weekend’s showdown at Suzuka also marks the start of a new era for Sauber with team principal Jonathan Wheatley overseeing his first race after leaving Red Bull. April 1 returned the start of the month and his first day with the Swiss squad after 19 years in Milton Keynes.
Wheatley is amongst the many additions to the Sauber set-up Audi poached ahead of taking the team over next term. Binotto joined Sauber last July, before welcoming Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto to Hinwil to replace Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu in their two cars.
Hulkenberg and Bortoleto have had a mixed start to the 2025 Formula 1 season with Sauber only ahead of Racing Bulls and Alpine in the F1 constructors’ championship. They have taken six points over the opening two rounds thanks to Hulkenberg’s P7 finish in the Australian GP.
Mattia Binotto warns starting strongly is ‘crucial’ for Sauber’s Japanese GP hopes
Sauber doubt they can repeat Hulkenberg’s Australian GP result purely on merit after taking advantage of the mixed conditions in Melbourne. They fell backwards to the rear of the field at the Chinese GP, as only Yuki Tsunoda finished the race behind Bortoleto and Hulkenberg.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Audi/Sauber F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley? All to know
So, as Formula 1 heads to the Japanese GP, COO Binotto has warned Sauber, Bortoleto and Hulkenberg that ‘everything’ has to go right from the start at Suzuka. He is adamant that it will be ‘crucial’ for their weekend to start strongly given the challenge of the Suzuka circuit.
“The first few races of the season have given us a solid understanding of where we stand as a team and where we need to improve,” Binotto said, via Speedweek. “Both Melbourne and Shanghai showed that we have the potential to score points.
“China was rather unfortunate for us, but was still valuable in terms of data and learning… Suzuka is a track that requires precision and confidence in high-speed corners, and it will be crucial that we get everything right from the start of the weekend.
“With three races ahead of us in quick succession, consistency will be key – we need to seize every opportunity and continue to make progress.”
Gabriel Bortoleto must learn a new track at the Japanese GP having never raced at Suzuka
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has called Suzuka ‘scary’ after the Italian got his first laps of the Honda-owned track on their simulator. Bortoleto is in the same shoes as Antonelli with the 2025 Japanese GP due to be the Sauber rookie’s first time racing at Suzuka, as well.
Suzuka does not feature on the Formula 2 and F3 calendars, so Bortoleto did not experience the circuit during either of his title-winning rookie seasons in both feeder series. Sauber will hope he can now adapt to the challenging venue quickly to fulfil Binotto’s pleas to start well.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber F1 driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know
Yet Bortoleto did not start well on his first experience of the Shanghai International Circuit at the Chinese GP last time out. The 20-year-old seemed to get an early groove by qualifying in P14 for the Sprint but slipped to P18, before the Brazilian qualified in P19 for the main race.
Lap 1 of the Chinese GP also proved disastrous for Bortoleto as he spun whilst attempting to overtake Haas’ Oliver Bearman. Sauber had to pit the Sao Paulo native after his trip through the gravel, and Hulkenberg also struggled after suffering damage following his early mistake.
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