Two seats remain in F1: How do things stand at VCARB and Sauber?
Exclusive
- Ludo van Denderen
Only two seats remain vacant in Formula 1 for the 2025 season. Only Visa Cash App RB and Sauber (the future Audi) are looking to sign a second driver for the upcoming season, with rumours circulating about who will fill them. GPblog lists who is currently the favourite for each seat and also an outsider.
Visa Cash App RB
Liam Lawson could easily have made his comeback in Italy, if Williams had agreed to Red Bull Racing's terms. But the Austrian racing team wanted to be able to recall Laswon at any time, which was out of the question for Williams. So currently, not Lawson, but Franco Colapinto is Alex Albon's teammate. A setback for Lawson? Perhaps, but the New Zealander does not need to dispair. Indeed, he is the clear favourite at VCARB to succeed Daniel Riccardo next season, GPblog understand.
A final decision on Lawson should reportedly be made relatively soon. Indeed, he is said to have a clause in his current contract that if Red Bull do not give him a seat for '25 by mid-September, he is free to move to wherever he wants. If Lawson is indeed signed, that is the end of the road for Daniel Ricciardo in F1. He is VCARB's second choice in case a decision is still made to waive Lawson for '25.
Sauber (Audi)
It has now become a regular question to Valtteri Bottas: Have you had coffee with Mattia Binotto, Audi's new COO and CTO? At Monza for four days, the Finn's answered otherwise. While Bottas is certainly a candidate to stay with the Swiss team next season, that answer does somewhat imply that the former Formula 1 race winner is not a priority driver to sign for Binotto and Audi.
Indeed, at the top of the wish list is Gabriel Bortoleto, a top talent in Formula 2, and part of the McLaren training programme. The Brazilian impressed at Monza by winning the feature race from being last. GPblog have received confirmation that the 19-year-old Brazilian is in talks with Audi. Reportedly, the decisive aspect would be the contract length, as Bortoleto wants at least a two-year deal. Audi would not want to go beyond a single season.
Should negotiations break down, Bottas would be the alternative. One problem perhaps: The Finn is also hoping for a two-year contract and Audi would not be keen on that term in his case.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sarkozi
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!