The Formula 1 winter break saw half the drivers on the grid either change teams or lose their place in the sport altogether which has created a fascinating dynamic heading into 2025.
Not only do McLaren appear to have the best car after testing, but they were just one of two teams – alongside Aston Martin – not to replace either of their drivers.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s relationship as teammates is friendly at the moment, but with both drivers expected to be challenging for the title, it’s hard to see that lasting.
Elsewhere, Charles Leclerc has been joined by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari creating one of the most impressive pairings Formula 1 has seen for some time.
It’s very different to how Mercedes and Red Bull will be operating this year with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Liam Lawson starting their first full F1 season alongside established stars George Russell and Max Verstappen.
Antonelli and Lawson are two of six drivers entering Formula 1 permanently this year, but the expectations for each of them are very different.
Sauber managed to sign Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto from McLaren’s development program last year and he’ll line up alongside Nico Hulkenberg.
Karun Chandhok was speaking on The Fast and The Curious Podcast about the Brazilian – whose contract is worth a reported £1.5m-a-year – and discussing his prospects for 2025.
While he doesn’t expect the youngster to be challenging for points regularly, he can still see a way that he could lose his seat ahead of Audi’s takeover in 2026.
Gabriel Bortoleto told to avoid Nico Hulkenberg ‘beasting’ to keep his Sauber seat
Chandhok was asked whether as a rookie he’d rather be in a top car like Antonelli or if driving for a team like Sauber as Bortoleto will take the pressure off.
He replied: “It takes the pressure off, doesn’t it? Absolutely takes the pressure off.
“But I think it’s a really tricky one because and I think that’s why this year is going to be fun.
“You’ve got the likes of Antonelli and Lawson who are full-season rookies in with top teams, pressure to get podiums and win races and be right at the front straight away, as Lewis did back in 2007.
“You’ve got the likes of Bortoleto who really there’s no pressure and there’s a chance for him to learn and establish his credibility in F1.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Sauber from team principal to 2026 Audi future
“And then you’ve got some others in the middle, haven’t you? You’ve got the likes of Jack Doohan and Isack Hadjar who’s teams are in the midfield.
“So we’re going to get some really interesting stories across the board.
“But I think the reality is whatever the opportunity comes your way to get into F1, you’ve got to grab it.
“Some of them are fortunate to come in with a top team, they’ve got to step up and deal with the pressure of it.
“In Bortoleto’s case, it still means it’s absolutely not the case that he’s got no pressure because if he gets beasted by Nico Hulkenberg, he’s gone. He’ll be gone.”
Gabriel Bortoleto tipped as potential future world F1 champion
Sauber’s newest Brazilian driver hasn’t arrived in Formula 1 to the same fanfare as Antonelli or Haas driver Oliver Bearman, but could potentially be more talented than both of them.
Bortoleto has been tipped as a future F1 champion but he’ll need the right car underneath him to manage that feat.
Audi have a brilliant racing pedigree in other series but arriving in Formula 1 and immediately competing at the front of the grid is going to be incredibly difficult.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know
The head of Audi’s F1 project Mattia Binotto believes Audi can compete for titles by 2030, but whether Bortoleto is going to be that patient is yet to be seen.
If he impresses with Sauber and vacancies appear elsewhere on the grid, he’ll be very tempted to take them.
But first, he needs to avoid being ‘beasted’ by Hulkenberg as Chandhok suggested to earn a second season in the paddock.
