Ralf Schumacher is not holding out hope for one driver ahead of the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix as their car was a ‘disaster’ at F1 testing in Bahrain.
Formula 1 afforded the 10 teams and 20 drivers just one official pre-season test at the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix last week to dial their new cars in for the campaign ahead. But not every crew left Sakhir with a lot of confidence that they will head to Melbourne to compete.
The Australian Grand Prix is kicking off a F1 season for the first time since 2019. It is also the start of the final year for the current regulations before Formula 1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulations come into force, putting extra importance on teams starting the season strongly.
Ralf Schumacher fears for Nico Hulkenberg as Sauber’s 2025 car was a ‘disaster’ at F1 testing
McLaren had the best car at F1 testing in Bahrain, so Lando Norris and home favourite Oscar Piastri will head to Melbourne as the favourites. But the shoe is very much on the other foot for Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber following his move to the Swiss squad as a factory Audi driver.
The 37-year-old has returned to Hinwil after a sole season at Sauber in 2013 after Audi gave Hulkenberg a three-season, £5.5m-a-year contract. Yet expectations for the term ahead are not high as the C45 was just the ninth-best car in qualifying or race simulations at F1 testing.
So, Schumacher fears for Hulkenberg and even questions his German compatriot’s move as Audi will focus on 2026 when the automotive giants make Sauber a works team. He also has questions for Sauber/Audi COO Mattia Binotto plus new team principal, Jonathan Wheatley.
READ MORE: Who is Sauber and Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto? Everything to know
Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast: “Hulkenberg [faces a] difficult initial situation. Audi, last year of these regulations, they’ll be looking at ‘26. What can his motto be this year?
“I’m a little sorry about that because the car is really still a disaster, at least as it looks at the moment. But maybe something else will come to it. However, I’m afraid that Binotto is such a nice guy, but I don’t know exactly, I’m not quite sure yet if he sees the big picture now.
“So, certainly not technically a great man, but now to bring all these people from the world together, to get them to work [and] to drag them along. I don’t think he’s the guy for that. That’s why I don’t know if it was such a good decision.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Audi/Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley? All to know
“I think Jonathan still has a lot of work to do. But the new one from Red Bull, he is also very experienced. I can only hope that this will work in the cooperation and not that we will eventually have an entire Italian workforce again.”
Nico Hulkenberg faces waiting for Audi’s debut in 2026 to finally get a Formula 1 podium
Audi has completely refreshed the Sauber line-up for the 2025 Formula 1 season with Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas dropped in favour of Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto – who won the 2023 Formula 3 and 2024 Formula 2 titles amid the Brazilian’s rookie seasons.
But Sauber’s 2025 F1 car was a handful for Bortoleto during testing in Bahrain, with the C45 looking like a very challenging machine to control in Sakhir. Such were their problems, with the C45 also seemingly only the ninth-best car, F1 testing was below Sauber’s expectations.
Hulkenberg will hope his experience, with 230 Grand Prix entries and 227 starts so far, helps the Emmerich am Rhein native overcome Sauber’s issues. But he even faces holding out for Audi’s debut next year to add to his sole career pole position and finally get a podium finish.
