Tom Coronel stunned that 571-point driver still has a Formula 1 seat ahead of the 2025 season

The 2024 silly season produced some of the most hectic movements in the driver market in recent F1 history.

It marked a sharp contrast to the year prior when the 2024 season started with no driver transfers from the end of 2023 – the first time that has happened in F1.

Last season saw four driver transfers mid-season, with Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson and Jack Doohan all making sub appearances. Lewis Hamilton’s sensational move to Ferrari sparked chaos in the driver market, with 10 driver transfers being made for 2025.

Many paddock insiders expected Max Verstappen to make the ‘earthquake’ announcement of him joining Mercedes, but the move never came to fruition. The Silver Arrows opted to sign rookie Kimi Antonelli to replace Hamilton.

Antonelli is one of six new full-time drivers on the grid in 2025 as Mercedes plan to develop the 18-year-old into a future race winner and world champion.

Tom Coronel is a huge fan of young talents in F1, stressing it was a shame none got the chance at the start of 2024. Despite there now being six and half the grid has switched teams, the Dutch pundit is unimpressed one driver still has a race seat.

Tom Coronel stunned that Nico Hulkenberg is still in Formula 1

Nico Hulkenberg was one of the 10 drivers to make moves for 2025. The German has returned to Sauber from Haas, having raced with the Hinwil-based outfit back in 2013.

Hulkenberg had a highly impressive season with Haas last season as he came tantalisingly close to a top-10 finish in the standings. The 37-year-old will become an Audi driver in 2026 when the German manufacturer take over from Sauber.

While talking about young drivers in F1 – particularly Mercedes signing Antonelli – Coronel highlighted that he does ‘really see talents’ in the lower categories. Speaking with Motorsport.com Nederland, the Dutch pundit could not understand why Hulkenberg has a seat over a new talent.

“Well I think it’s cool, I think it’s brave that they’re doing it. I am for the youth and I always have been”, he said.

“I love new talent and look at last year when we talk about Jeddah, then of course we are only talking about one and that is Bearman who was allowed to stand in for Sainz for that appendicitis.

“It is about innovation. Last year, zero, nothing at all. Zero. Of course we have seen new people come because it had to be but at the start of the season, there are new drivers? No.

“Is there a new story? No. When I look at Formula 2, Formula 3, look at Formula 4 and that whole ladder there, I really see talents.

“I just think it is a shame that they do not get a chance. They only get a chance when someone else quits. I mean what is Hulkenberg doing there still? Of course Magnussen is leaving”.

What role will Nico Hulkenberg have at Sauber with Gabriel Bortoleto as his teammate?

Interestingly, Hulkenberg’s teammate in 2025 will be one of the six new full-time drivers in Gabriel Bortoleto. The Brazilian comes to F1 off the back of winning the F3 and F2 in the last two years as a rookie.

The 20-year-old is one of the hottest prospects in motorsport coming into 2025. Manager Fernando Alonso thinks Bortoleto will be the best rookie this season as he gears up for F1 with Sauber.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg’s life outside F1 from wife to height

Hulkenberg – who has scored 571 points across his career – will be a solid benchmark for Bortoleto, as well as a highly experienced driver to learn from.

Hulkenberg says he will play ‘a little bit’ of Rubens Barrichello’s role at Sauber from when the pair were together at Williams. The German was Barrichello’s teammate in 2010 at the Grove-based outfit as a rookie.

The intra-team battle between Hulkenberg and Bortoleto could be a brilliant spectacle. The former will be expected to beat his teammate, but the latter will be keen to stamp his authority early on.