Hulkenberg exceeds Bottas in 'driver feedback'.

      Sauber's technical chief, James Key, is confident that merely changing the driver lineup will eventually result in improved lap times. The Audi-owned team has replaced Guanyu Zhou and Valtteri Bottas with rookie Gabriel Bortoleto and veteran Nico Hulkenberg for 2025, and they've made a promising start in Australia. Despite struggling to earn points throughout most of 2024 and finishing last in the constructors' championship with just four points, Hulkenberg's transfer from Haas to Sauber quickly benefitted the team, yielding six points in Melbourne.

      "It gives us courage and self-confidence," Key stated. "Everyone clearly wants to replicate this result now. That was something we struggled with last year; we lost a bit of faith," he told Auto Motor und Sport. Bortoleto's manager, and rival, Fernando Alonso, believes the 20-year-old deserves commendation despite his crash in Melbourne. "He’s the best of the new generation," Alonso remarked in Shanghai, "alongside Ollie (Bearman)."

      Key expressed particular satisfaction with the signing of seasoned driver Hulkenberg, noting that it has proven to be very effective. "Nico has been truly brilliant so far," he said. "His experience allows him to calmly and clearly articulate what the car is doing, which is immensely helpful for us. He has an excellent understanding of what’s happening around him in the cockpit, being able to detect even the smallest details and communicate them effectively."

      Key acknowledges that the 37-year-old Hulkenberg is surpassing Bottas in fulfilling his role as the team's most experienced driver, with Bottas now serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver. "The team hasn’t had such valuable driver feedback for a long time," he remarked. "We're gaining entirely new insights, leading us to explore directions we hadn't considered before. Unfortunately, it will take some time before this is reflected in the car."