It's weird saying this as a Finn but I think it's time for Bortoletto or Colapinto. I'm tired of hearing about continuity. What the team and the sport needs is a proper shot in the arm. I like Bottas but the team clearly doesn't care about him anymore, they replaced his race engineer without telling him. Having another year of Bottas in that hideous green Stake uniform for the sake of continuity feels like staying together "for the kids".
@@Secretlyanothername Just because he grows a mullet and drinks VB doesn't mean Aussies get to claim him. He is still one of us, basically looks like a spitting image of 80s Keke Rosberg If he was a likeable person.
@@jacobmassey3897 fighting with the worst car of the grid by far. He has experience, speed and can get a lot of points in a good car. Bottas is perfect for Audi
If I were Williams I would hold on to Colapinto because you never know what might happen if a seat opens up at one of the top teams, they could lose Carlos Sainz and then be left scrambling for a replacement.
It's a short term fix to a long term problem. Once you have a few more drivers settled in, the next batch of youngsters will still be sitting on the sidelines. The average F1 career is very long now (10+ years), so now it's all about timing and affiliations to get a seat. Anything you do in an F1 car is infinitely more valuable than F2 now. I mean literally no one was eyeing Franco up until a few weeks ago and now he's touted as a Sauber target because he had a few good weekends in an F1 car despite a lacking junior category CV. Hell, NDV got a seat based on _one_ race as a sub while previously no one cared about him despite being an F2 champ. To me, the real solution is to provide more opportunities for youngsters in F1 machinery to let them show what they've got. A measely single FP1 session is not enough, especially when the running time is often cut short due to red flags. Give them actual testing programs (some teams do already do this to be fair) both on track and in the sim.
I don't get this argument about who is the fastest Driver to pick. Sauber doesn't need a fast driver, it needs a Driver that can make the car quick. and that choice, is pretty obviously, Bottas. He has seen how it can go right, he has seen what goes wrong. he holds the insight in a team that has seen quite a bit of change over the last time. I believe that colapinto or bordaletto may be quicker, but what use is that in a car that is currently the slowest..?
That is a valid point, but they also need to look beyond the next two years. Although the currently discussed options of Bortaleto and Colapinto could possibly also only be loans and in that case they are just helping out their competitors.
@@DeathBlocks a loan is not as easy as "we can get him back whenever" I'm sure it could be arranged to be like a loan + option to "buy" like some football loans
Nah. Pourchaire was very unconvincing winning F2. Took him till his third year, only won one race all season (compared to runner-up Vesti's five) and barely limped to the title rather than winning convincingly. Bortoleto is a far better prospect.
One point not mentioned was consistency. It's one thing to hop in a car for a handful of races, its another to hop in over a season with all the ups and downs of retirements caused by your mistakes or not. Follow it up with that second season that drivers struggle when they are expected to match and surpass their first season and the pressure ramps up. The world has seen Bottas when things aren't going well, they know two or three bad races aren't a spiral. Can the same be said for any of those rookies when the pressure is perceived to be on and they bin it
If a is rookie quick, it really doesn't matter how much they crash (to an extent). A quick driver can learn from mistakes, but a slow driver can't find pace
@@jonathanlewis13jl With cost cap I would argue the opposite. Each crash essentially costs the team a new upgrade not only from lost data from the missing part but manufacturing time and cost. Look at Williams who only had enough parts for one car after Albon binned it. The epitome of that is Jenson Buttons championship season where the team was so strapped for cash that binning it could mean not having parts to complete the season. A consistent point scorer or someone who can be in a position to capitalise from late drama is far more valuable than someone who bins it. I would take Hulkenberg over Maldonado for example. Another classic example of consistency is Prost. There is also more to consistency than choosing not to make a rash decision. Again look at Button, Not only did he perform week in week out but also lap after lap. It's rarely talked about but during the BAR days he hit lap times each and every lap consistently. Corner after corner consistently not a single lapse in concentration. A race turned sour, he continued in the rhythm. His speed was from his constancy and not being titled after a small mistake. I should also point to the current tyres that need to be brought into a temperature window perfectly to extract speed in qualifying. Overdriving them Willis the fastest way to an early exit
@@Javadamutt it makes them more valuable early on if they're consistent but not exactly quick, but as a long term investment it's not as viable I don't think. If you do that you'll end up with a Hulkenburg for example, not a Max Verstappen. I do see your point about the cost cap but as long as it's not every race then it shouldn't be that much of a problem. I think Mercedes will have no issues with Antonelli next year if he bins it a few times
Summary the best option in every perspective : Valterri bottas The Young and greatly analysed option: Franco Colapinto The best young option but no F1 experience: Gabriel My favorite option which wasn't. mentioned : DR3 or Sebastian Vettel
You forgot the F1 fans favorite option. The return of Pastor Maldonado from his retirement.😎👍 The rookie has shown a lot of talent by crashing on other cars in F2.
While i make good use of him in the F1 Manager game, I think there are issues with how "easy" he is to work with. Don't quote me on the second part, because im not 100% but It's just what I've heard before. Otherwise, i think he would have already had a seat.
Theo got screwed over for a guy that in three seasons has been conpletely anonymous except for that one time he ended up upside down. Should've gotten at least a season in F1 as all F2 champs should, but Sauber chose money.
Because Pourchaire wasn't a good driver. Junior formula results don't matter, they don't exist for that (otherwis Stroll would be on par with Hamilton and Verstappen). End of it.
F2 is such a joke… if neither Pourchaire nor Bortoleto nor Drugovich honestly 3 years in a row in which the F2 champion doesn’t get in F1. If winning F2 means nothing just get rid of it
If you got rid of F2 where would young talents compete? And yes, winning F2 it doesn't guarantee you a seat in F1, this is not the same as promoting a team in football, a lot more goes into consideration when F1 teams pick their drivers.
@@soundscape26 só winning F2 doesn’t mean nothing? I don’t see the point of f2 if that’s the case, 3 years in a row the f2 champion is in risk of being forgotten even Pourchaire is being mistreated… not to say Drugovich
@@eduardosandes3476 I didn't say it means nothing, only that's not something teams find decisive when it comes to promoting a driver. The parent team may well have a solid lineup with no room for the F2 winner. Drugovich is on the sidelines for 2 years now yet apparently no team was willing to take him away from the reserve driver role at Aston Martin... only they will know why. 🤷♂
@@soundscape26 I think it should be decisive almost all of the times but I can't understand how a driver can win F3 and F2 in a row as a rookie and not be considered worthy and get a seat (Bortoleto). Also, Pourchaire is being badly ignored by his own team, bro won F2 in his third year, true but he did it while beating some very good drivers. All I'm saving is that back in the day F2 winners were the biggest candidates to get the seat which was good for F2 and motivated me to watch it. 2017: Leclerc won F2, got a seat 2018: Russell won F2, got a seat 2019: De Vries won F2, got a seat 2020: Schumacher won F2, got a seat 2021: Piastri won F2, got a seat 2022: Drugovich won F2, everyone forgot about him 2023: Pourchaire won F2, everyone forgot about him
I know this question can't wait till the end of the season, but objectively ( and I root for my fellow countryman) I would like to see how Colapinto performs in the upcoming races to say he deserves the seat in 2025.
Drugovich couldn't get a drive at Williams while Sargeant was struggling. F1 has forgotten about him, and Drugo is delusional enough to think he has a chance at Aston Martin. Your hopes are better placed on Camara instead of Drugovich, who will never make it into F1
I would say Théo Pourchaire cause I think he deserves a chance in F1. But if Audi want experience Bottas is their main man. This is why f1 need more teams
F2 is honestly a joke… Drugovich won it and wasn’t even considered, then Pourchaire won it and got mistreated, and now Bortoleto may have a similar fate. These 3 drivers have shown incredible talent and potential but aren’t taken seriously
@@eduardosandes3476 Gabriel Bortoleto literally won F3 as a rookie now is leading F2 as a rookie. wtf is going on all of the rookie winners and challengers are better than good all of them.
@eduardosandes3476 because drugovich and pouchaire took mutiple seasons to win F2. U see theres a big difference between just winning f2 & WINNING F2 as a rookie. F2 champions in their first season include Leclerc Russell Piastri. If a F2 rookie can win the title in his rookie season, whos not to say he can't be on the same lvl as those 3. In comparison regular F2 champions who took mutiple seasons to win, Mick Schumacher, De Vries.... yeah you see why F1 teams been ignoring Drugovich & Theo?
Bortoleto is copying Piastri's path, much faster then colapinto everytime they raced together, and Bottas already gave what he had to the team and the sport
@@Pato-ARGagreed, he’s not F1 ready yet. His determination and a bit of push from Alonso has taken him from washout to front of the queue in a quick two years. Its like driving Stock Cars at Interlagos in 2022 scared him 😹
When I was a kid my nan asked what I wanted for xmas & I said Super Monaco GP...Imagine my disappointment when I opened up a copy of the GameGear version on Xmas day when I didn't own a GameGear.
The teams with the most continuity have seen the most success typically, with some exceptions. If Perez does indeed retire after this season as rumored, Colapinto has to be the #1 driver for that open seat at VCARB.
At almost 2 years older than Antonelli and the same age as Hadjar, Bortoleto has a surprisingly low number of race starts (123 career total) even compared to the accelerated Antonelli. He’s raced for the major junior teams, but they all seemed to back his rivals to advance. His F3 title win while emphatic, was judged a little fortunate after a hectic Monza weekend (for everyone else), but it was based on consistency and in F2 he’s already beaten all those drivers who came with him from that F3 battle, mainly by Feature Race success with few racing errors. What’s surprising is Bortoleto has 20-40 less Formula race car starts than his contemporaries, yet fewer car-car contacts. With limited race time behind the wheel compared to his rivals, his ability to grab the big chance in this chaotic F2 season, for Invicta of all teams, is what’s caught the eye. His grasp of tyre management and race rhythm is very gifted, he’s already beyond what F2 can teach him in less than a season, but he’s had all of 1 private session in a (2022) MCL36 so far, less F1 car time than anyone else in this frame. If McLaren’s 2025 turns into a brutal front-row showdown between Piastri & Norris (like 2007), a drive at Red Bull may equally be opening up for one of the current McLaren pair, then having the talented Bortoleto on the books would really strengthen McLaren’s position. For Gabriel himself, turning 20 while learning the ropes at McLaren would be a great season. The Alonso connection may take him to Aston in 2026 if the McLaren route is really blocked. That Sauber drive has a ring of fire about it (worse than Alpine?) and it maybe plain wrong to drop a rookie into it, even one building as solid an F1 record as Colapinto. With Maloney now side-stepping to Formula-E and if McLaren have the leverage to keep Bortoleto under wraps, the Sauber choice seems a straight coin-flip between Colapinto and Bottas, with their race records mattering less, than does Binotto need double experience for accelerated development feedback or a mix to create proper sporting rivalry on track.
Theres too much emphasis on "exciting" new rookies. They end up getting thrown into the deep end and burning out too quick. There is no substitution for wisdom and experience.
Nonsense. Far more recent rookies - Russell, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri etc - have done well than those that have flopped. Colapinto has taken to F1 like a duck to water already, and Bortoleto will probably join an elite group of drivers to win F3 and F2 back to back as a rookie. I get for fans it's sometimes sad to see guys like Bottas get replaced, but my god, the sport really needs to move on from some of these journeymen that are just driving around to collect a pay cheque, and give the next generation more chances. The sport needs new blood to remain exciting, particularly when there's so few seats available anyway.
The problem is not F2, is the academy's they're damaging the drivers chances on F1, they got blocked on parent team and out of F1. Pourchaire should had been promoted in the place of Zhou after his F2 title. Colapinto is doing well, but we don't know what Pourchaire or Bortoleto would do in F1, they could do better or worse, but they did better in F3 and F2..
theres no point. He is washed. Hulkenberg still has it and doesnt get beaten by zhou, he destroys magnussen whilst bottas struggles to do that half the time. No wonder hes called shitass
we literally saw bearman keep up and oputqualify hulkenberg, bottas would be out in q1 in the same car. Bortoleto is leading and is better than bearman from the f2 standings, bottas is a washed pig
Bottas was NEVER fast. He barely matched old, tired, post accident Massa. He is garbage, like 44, they were just looking good in rocketship in which even Mazepin would be 5x WDC if you put him in Merc in 2014. Now both of them have ZERO legit wins after rocketships ended, and are being trashed by average rookies. QED...
If it were not Bottas, I think Gabriel is slightly more appealing, achieved better headline results in F2 and he’s Brazilian. Imagine we go to São Paulo and he’s one of the drivers, the already-crazy crowd will go ballistic. He could bring a lot of commercial value to Sauber, a cherry on top of already being a very promising driver. He won’t be a pay driver at all.
Being a Williams Driving Academy driver I'm not seeing Sauber wanting to develop Colapinto just to hand him over to Williams whenever they'll need him back.
Any driver going to Audi (Sauber, currently) is a wasted opportunity. Sauber will NEVER win a race even if they had Hamilton or Verstappen OR Alonso (hypothetically speaking).
They can win a race or even championship, the problem is time, it used to be competitive in the mid 2000s and they were literally scoring podiums almost every race in last 2000s, but after BMW pulled out they have been drowning worse and worse, it will take a lot of time to get back in shape.
Honestly regardless of what Sauber does, I think they’ll end up with a pretty nice line up regardless of who they choose. That says a lot considering the abysmal form they’ve had all year. They’re lucky to come out of this bad run of form with a better drivers pairing that they did coming into it, even taking into account the Audi project as a whole.
Continuity is what they need, but UNLESS Audi can actually start overhauling the WHOLE team, Bottas is going to stay the underwhelming option. That's not his fault though. He's behaving just like Raikkonen in 2020/2021: wanting to knuckle down but keeping running into the most ridiculous team issues, like aborting a stop with the driver in the pitlane etc. They absolutely killed a bundle of his spirit with the pit stop saga earlier this year. Colapinto should get the seat from 2026 onwards, Audi should step up for Bottas' sake. I don't want either of those 2 drivers 2025 wrecked, actually. But Hulkenberg has enough grit and experience to drag Audi forwards, Colapinto has a lot to learn already but I like how he started.
Guys I love Colapinto but being better than Logan Sargeant does not warrant an F1 seat. Throwing him to by far the worst team on the grid with very little experience will not be great for his career. He'll get a seat soon enough but I don't think Sauber is a good place for him right now.
Colapinto isn't getting any F1 seat if he doesn't get signed up by Audi. He doesn't have the luxury of waiting it out, we've seen how quickly F1 forgets those on the sidelines .
interesting point about colapinto being bought out of his Williams contract, and potentially Williams dumped Sargent mainly so they could increase the value of colapinto over the remaining races. colapinto probably wasn't going to cost more in damaged cars than sargent was costing, the increase in value of the colapinto contract off-sets any loss in the money brought in by sargent and they knew sargent wasn't going to score any points, so any points that colapinto might score (and now has) is bonus for the team. seems like it was all potential upside for Williams with little chance of it being worse than what they had already with sargent. what seemed like a strange choice at the time it was announced actually makes a lot of sense
6:00 he wasn't on pole on pace it was Maini on pole but he got disqualified because of some plank issue which didn't have any performance advantage. At least give full information @theRace
Audi being in that developmental/racing stage once they start in 2026 needs drivers that can give them proper input for future improvement and so on. Putting in a rookie might not be a good idea because what rookies do is showing their worth to a team first and foremost.
If Colapinto didn't crash, it might be viable. But the reason you choose an experirenced driver is that they are consistant. You can spend your money on R&D rather than repairs. They also have more experience and more feedback to offer engineers so real improvements can be made. When the car plan is sorted, then you can go for "excitement".
Hard agree it should be Bottas. Colapinto has been stellar, but a multi-year commitment for him or Bortaletto could be fatal to their career, preventing them from getting a competitive seat. At the moment, Sauber is dead in the water and cash from Audi is not a guaranteed panacea.
Bottas: 10 wins, 20 poles, 67 podiums, 5 Constructors championships, from 240 starts. Hulkenburg: 0 wins, 1 poles, 0 podiums, 0 championships, 221 starts. If we're talking about experience, the fact that Bottas is constantly being overlooked in favor of rookies and drivers with nowhere near his driving record, especially by presentors and youtubers is completely criminal. People really think the disaster fire that is Sauber/Audi would be better off with the driver with the most starts for 0 points, and a rookie is going do anything more than fight alpine for last place is barely hopes and dreams at this point.
One thing I have learned about F1 is don't believe the teams PR people, don't believe a contract, and don't believe your lying eyes and ears. I still think there is a lot hanging in the balance in the wake of Lawson. He has 6 races to step up and shine. If he does not, anything can happen. It would seem the rumor mill is a new drama for fans to grip on to. F1 makes changes faster than they ever have, as of late. This is all on the shoulders of Netflix. They have turned F1 into a drama mini series. Perez is not finished being under the microscope. We'll have to see what $80M gets you.
feedback from two experienced drivers have no doubt helped Haas improve their car over the last two years. Sauber/Audi would benefit from a similar operations platform. Then introduce a rookie at the end of either Hulk and Bottas’ contract.
The only thing you wonder is whether Colapinto is just the lucky F2 driver (along with Bearman) who we’ve seen in an F1 car - could there be other F2 options that would be even better? You wonder if Red Bull will put Lawson in the main team and bring through Hadjar to RB, but if not could he (or Bortoletto) be better options? I actually think keeping Bottas is also a perfectly reasonable option but just not one for the long term.
I would go with Bortoleto. He is really impressive winning F3 last year and leading in F2 this year. McLaren will not be able to keep him, if Sauber offers him a drive. Norris and Piastri could stay at McLaren for another 10 years. I would also show some interest in Colapinto, he certainly proved he can drive. I see no point in keeping Bottas. He had no impressive drive for quite some time and he is as well as Hülkenberg a bit old for an F1 driver. Bottas won't win anything for Audi and they need a future number 1 driver. We also shouldn't forget Pourchaire, I would consider him as well. I would just give one free practice to Bortoleto and one to Pourchaire to see how they perform. Bottas and Zhou won't go anywhere.
Scott really is pushing pro Colapinto PR. Which is a bit left field also it would be a mistake if Sauber/Audi take a driver not in their stable. Rather go with Pourchaire, than Borteleto or Colapinto as he's an in house driver if they're considering youth.
If I'm not mistaken, Daniel was the driver on the grid with the 5th most wins at the start of the year and Bottas 4th. If he doesn't get a drive for next year, that's 2 of the top 5 out a seat next year. When was the last time it's happened where 2 of the top 5 winningest drivers at the start of a season both don't have a seat the following year? Has that ever happened in F1?
If Audi had made more progress, going with a young driver like Colapinto makes sense. But they're well into the weeds, and need experienced drivers. They need to listen to Bottas, have Hulkenberg rise to the occasion, and then look for a rookie in 2026
Audi getting in to the game is going to be great! Im in the US and have been into F1 for the past 5 years and have seen a massive increase in attention in my country. Opening the US market to F1 will be the turning point into F1 having more than just 5 competitive teams per season. I think Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Audi, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda in the next 20 years will be the 10 manufactures. The US loves Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW, and Hyundai.
I love bottas but i think time's up for him. Vowles himself said hes tryna get franco into that sauber seat. And Bortoleto is prolly not gonan get let go by mclaren so quickly.
The 2025 grid may not have any (or only 1) of Perez, Riccardo, Bottas or Magnussen, plus of course Zhou and Sergeant. I would not have believed that was possible at the beginning of the season.
Another issue about / for / with the Bortoleto option is that McLaren academy have some affiliation with Mercedes, which Audi competes against in the motorcar market place.
Bottas was the current RB's Perez of Mercedes in the last year, barely helped Hamilton, if at all, when it mattered. I think his time is done. A young driver should get that seat, whether that's Colapinto, Pourchaire or Bortoletto is another thing. Also this is not the last seat, we still don't know who will go to RB's second seat and who will be in the VCA RBs.
Already makes me feel sick, that Sauber will probably miss out on a possible F3 to F2 back to back champion, an Argentinian wonder kid, and an F2 champion that they call their own, just to give Bottas another year. Dont get me wrong, Valtteri is a really likeable driver to me and he has his value for sure, but with this kind of talent waiting on the sidelines, how can you justify "continuity"? They have Nico signed up, who definitely has the capability to at least replace what Bottas has done the past couple of years, and will be a great team leader and ambassador for the Audi brand. So why would you not pair him with young talent, that as we see with Franco, Ollie, and co this season, can be very adaptable and competitive from the get go.
Not against Colapinto getting a drive, as he looks to be worthy but I think Bottas is the more sensible choice for the project of Audi. It will help the transition from one regime to another having an experienced driver who was there before the switch to Audi to advise on how the car has developed and changed. Hulk cant do that as he hasn't been there through the struggles (though his input will still be valuable). Bottas also has the knowledge and experience of having driven for a top team (unlike Hulkenberg) so can feedback to Binotto what processes were in place with Mercedes that Audi should have (and currently don't). He also still has the speed and is very much a team player. A 1+1 year deal would make most sense (subject to performance).
I don't think Audi knows how to run a motor sports program using top-ranked drivers - because most of their sports car experience is with drivers who previously were in F1 or who washed-out. Even Colapinto has more F1 experience than Audi.
I don’t get why people are saying Bottas is quick when he’s 23rd in a 20 car championship and behind his teammate that everyone says isn’t good enough.
I don’t know why the rankings list him as below Zhou when they both have zero points and he’s beaten him in nearly all races and qualifying. They should list Bottas as above Zhou for sure.
@lordv1le859 All you said here was that you don't understand how F1 works. If all you're looking at are the standings, then you're looking at the wrong thing.
@@lordv1le859 Actually he has massively outperformed him. Problem is he's doing it at the back of the grid. You say he's anonymous? That's what happens when you're in the worst car.
I'd have to agree with picking a well regarded experienced driver, so sticking Bottas is a good choice - the team is so far from competitive they need two drivers who have been through multiple regulation changes, multiple cars, teams, seen a wider range of issues and can give the feedback to develop the car. Ideally you'd want the two to have different driving preferences too, so your team can learn to manage the car into a wider window -as there is no point in building a fast car that only one driver on the grid can even manage to complete a lap in. Youthful talent is always there to pick up next year, the year after, or any year after that, and exactly what you want to start looking at once the engineering teams are actually making a racecar rather than a car shaped object. Young and hungry is a good partner to a solid older driver only once you actually have a car.
If they pick youth, aren' they just training someone who is going to leave for a better seat in the future. Why not extract knowledge from an experienced driver and then upgrade when you have a better car?
To race in F2 doesn't mean you get a seat in F1 if you win. It's the data and telemetry that teams can gather about the driver. Formula 1 Is a lot more about how complete you are as a driver, how fast you can adapt, learn, and develop the car in close connection with engineers.
Colapinto absolutely deserves a seat but i have to agree with Edd here that they do need at least for next year a driver with specific memory of the recent failings of the team, a driver that can listen in and say "no we tried that in this and this way and that didn't work". If they don't have that they can succeed but do risk doing the same mistakes again. Bottas on a 1+1 and if Hulkenberg completely overhauls him in 25 then look at an alternative for 26.
I think i don't know because it should be a development driver. A driver who can tell them what is going on with the car. Yeah some points would be great but with the rules changes and new cars they need to develop the car to have any chance at points.
I genuinely don’t understand the rush to get Colapinto an F1 seat. The field is stacked with talent and he’s young, he’s going to be fine if he has to wait a year or 2.
I see Bottas as the most conservative option. 2025 will be a transition year, but what about 2026? I don't see Hulkenberg - Bottas as a willing combination for a works team. Bortoleto and Colapinto may lose all their momentum at a lacklustre and unorganized team.
Probability: 1. Bottas 35% (although with Hülkenberg they are already have an excellent and experienced driver; also: Bottas would have to agree to a 1-year contract, with extension option in case he performs well vs. Nico) 2. Colapinto 26% (but I suggest Audi waits as long as possible to see how he continues to do this season) 3. Bortoleto 24% (see above) 4. Schumacher 12% (would be great to have an all-German line-up) 5. Pourchaire 2% 6. Zhou 1%.
Easy bortoletto. No need for 2 old experienced drivers end of the day I'd choose bortoletto young up and coming driver leading f2, plus audi would have a home race in Brazil plus let me not mention the amount of sponsors he'd bring to audi and fan base from brazil
He’d be among only Leclerc, Russell and Piastri if he win f3 and f2 titles as a rookie back to back he’s clearly the most talented, let’s not forget he beat Colapinto in both f3 and f2
@@eduardosandes3476😂😂 winning F3 or F2 doesn’t say anything lol it’s abt ability to make development step into F1… Lando is a better driver than Russell…for example.
@@Redlingstein then get rid of F2 and F3 lol... Lando still finished second and Albon third that year. I can't believe I read that winning a championship doesn't mean anything. Winners of F2 and F3 in a row include: - Charles Leclerc - George Russell - Oscar Piastri But if a guy on yt says it doesn't say anything than nevermind. I'm tired of this F1 community. But that's a good one: winning doesn't mean anything Btw: Lando is damn good but only won with the best car, Russell won with the trash W13 and managed to get 2nd in a 2021 williams, yes spa is controversial but he still outqualified Hamilton... In a Williams
Should still go to bottas, Hülkenberg has experience. But bottas has championship team experience. A rookie in a works team will only drag car development down
rightfully so. I expected Colapinto to have Sargent level of speed, just maybe not as crash prone; turns out he's almost on par with Albon. That's not to say Albon is bad, he is capable of winning races given the machinery now, just that Colapinto is THAT good.
Since Bortoleto will have opportunity at McLaren, and probably Colapinto too at Williams or even RB (if Lawson goes well and they replace Perez), I would prefer another rookie, the more the merrier
Why? He's been there for three years and has made no impact there. The team has gotten worse! They need a fresh start that doesn't include either Bottas or Zhou!
Whilst I think they should go for colapinto, but why not go for bearman? Bearman has arguably been better in the opportunities he’s been given. Williams should hold colapinto until Sainz goes and make him a more lead driver, or allow him to go to a team like Aston Martin if Alonso retires in a year or two.
Its not abt deserving lol it’s abt what Audi as new team needs…and that isn’t a rookie who can’t give any guidance for development or building the tea, itself…
Bottas has been at the team for three years, and has made little to no impact there. The team needs a fresh start, and that means fresh blood. Signing a young prospect to partner Hülkenberg! sounds like the way to go imo.
Colapinto has proven to be the best of the 3, same numbers as Albon without upgrades in the car. However, getting stuck in the last team of the grid, racing for a 15th position at best isn't the best kind of advertising for anyone, specially for a rookie.
As a Williams fan, I'd love to see Colapinto on the grid in '25, but if I were in charge at Audi, would I give him the seat if he is still under contract at Williams?
The situation at Williams is much more delicate than that at McLaren. It is clear that both, Albon and Sainz, will leave the team if an opportunity arises in the main teams. And let's be honest, this could definitely happen in the short term. McLaren, on the other hand, could easily release Bortoleto to Sauber for at least 3 years, as they already have one of the best driver pairings in F1 who could stay with the team for many years. Sauber still considering Bottas is a bad joke.
One factor that will play a role, is how much exposure does Audi want or need in S. America? If they're trying to increase their profile in S. America, then they would take a hard look at Bortoletto or Colapinto. If not, sign Bottas to a 1 + 1 and reevaluate for 2026.
It's weird saying this as a Finn but I think it's time for Bortoletto or Colapinto. I'm tired of hearing about continuity. What the team and the sport needs is a proper shot in the arm. I like Bottas but the team clearly doesn't care about him anymore, they replaced his race engineer without telling him. Having another year of Bottas in that hideous green Stake uniform for the sake of continuity feels like staying together "for the kids".
It's not weird to say that as a Finn. Lots of fans support drivers outside of their nationality. F1 isn't like the Olympics.
@@pao_2031yea I'm British but have always been a Ferrari fan
Audi needs experience…no rookies the first 2 seasons
He's Australian now anyway, you don't have to worry about him..
@@Secretlyanothername Just because he grows a mullet and drinks VB doesn't mean Aussies get to claim him. He is still one of us, basically looks like a spitting image of 80s Keke Rosberg If he was a likeable person.
Easy, bring back Nick Heidfeld....he's always Sauber's option....
Move on from the past
And bring back v10s
@@hueyfreeman7010 alright....then Jacky Ickx....
😂@@hueyfreeman7010
@hueyfreeman7810 haven't heard of a joke??
colapinto should get this seat. he is very talented and he would be great for audi in the long term
Gabriel Bortoleto is better
So does bottas
@@MaybeModernthe man sitting dead bottom of the pile behind even Sargeant 😂
@@jacobmassey3897 fighting with the worst car of the grid by far. He has experience, speed and can get a lot of points in a good car. Bottas is perfect for Audi
@@Heyn_17 he doesn't care anymore. He has even admitted he's just sticking around for the money
If I were Williams I would hold on to Colapinto because you never know what might happen if a seat opens up at one of the top teams, they could lose Carlos Sainz and then be left scrambling for a replacement.
💯
Colapinto will never choose a reserve drive at Williams over an actual seat. They'll only hold onto Colapinto if Colapinto doesn't get a shot at audi.
Yeah I think they definitely should. Hopefully for them they can keep him on some form of 2 year loan to Audi and not lose him.
Colapinto/Hulkenberg at Audi?
@@AlanFormula12022 Would actually probably be the best driver pairing in Formula B next year. 6th best driver pairing wasted on 11th best car.
12 legitimate F1 teams would solve a lot of problems.
😂 stop this endless nonsense
You're right, but right now we only have 8 😝 hell, I'm not even sure about VCARB being one either
Haha most definitely
just one more lane..
It's a short term fix to a long term problem. Once you have a few more drivers settled in, the next batch of youngsters will still be sitting on the sidelines. The average F1 career is very long now (10+ years), so now it's all about timing and affiliations to get a seat.
Anything you do in an F1 car is infinitely more valuable than F2 now. I mean literally no one was eyeing Franco up until a few weeks ago and now he's touted as a Sauber target because he had a few good weekends in an F1 car despite a lacking junior category CV. Hell, NDV got a seat based on _one_ race as a sub while previously no one cared about him despite being an F2 champ.
To me, the real solution is to provide more opportunities for youngsters in F1 machinery to let them show what they've got. A measely single FP1 session is not enough, especially when the running time is often cut short due to red flags. Give them actual testing programs (some teams do already do this to be fair) both on track and in the sim.
I think it should be Bottas. Honestly Sauber will waste colapinto. He’s best served waiting for a more competitive seat
I don't get this argument about who is the fastest Driver to pick. Sauber doesn't need a fast driver, it needs a Driver that can make the car quick. and that choice, is pretty obviously, Bottas.
He has seen how it can go right, he has seen what goes wrong. he holds the insight in a team that has seen quite a bit of change over the last time.
I believe that colapinto or bordaletto may be quicker, but what use is that in a car that is currently the slowest..?
Yeah that Sauber car Bottas is driving for two years is faster each race
That is a valid point, but they also need to look beyond the next two years. Although the currently discussed options of Bortaleto and Colapinto could possibly also only be loans and in that case they are just helping out their competitors.
@@DeathBlocks a loan is not as easy as "we can get him back whenever"
I'm sure it could be arranged to be like a loan + option to "buy" like some football loans
Honestly, since the team is still technically Sauber next year they should finally give the seat to their own junior, Théo Pourchaire.
Nah. Pourchaire was very unconvincing winning F2. Took him till his third year, only won one race all season (compared to runner-up Vesti's five) and barely limped to the title rather than winning convincingly. Bortoleto is a far better prospect.
One point not mentioned was consistency. It's one thing to hop in a car for a handful of races, its another to hop in over a season with all the ups and downs of retirements caused by your mistakes or not. Follow it up with that second season that drivers struggle when they are expected to match and surpass their first season and the pressure ramps up.
The world has seen Bottas when things aren't going well, they know two or three bad races aren't a spiral. Can the same be said for any of those rookies when the pressure is perceived to be on and they bin it
If a is rookie quick, it really doesn't matter how much they crash (to an extent). A quick driver can learn from mistakes, but a slow driver can't find pace
@@jonathanlewis13jl With cost cap I would argue the opposite. Each crash essentially costs the team a new upgrade not only from lost data from the missing part but manufacturing time and cost. Look at Williams who only had enough parts for one car after Albon binned it.
The epitome of that is Jenson Buttons championship season where the team was so strapped for cash that binning it could mean not having parts to complete the season.
A consistent point scorer or someone who can be in a position to capitalise from late drama is far more valuable than someone who bins it. I would take Hulkenberg over Maldonado for example. Another classic example of consistency is Prost.
There is also more to consistency than choosing not to make a rash decision. Again look at Button, Not only did he perform week in week out but also lap after lap. It's rarely talked about but during the BAR days he hit lap times each and every lap consistently. Corner after corner consistently not a single lapse in concentration. A race turned sour, he continued in the rhythm.
His speed was from his constancy and not being titled after a small mistake. I should also point to the current tyres that need to be brought into a temperature window perfectly to extract speed in qualifying. Overdriving them Willis the fastest way to an early exit
@@Javadamutt it makes them more valuable early on if they're consistent but not exactly quick, but as a long term investment it's not as viable I don't think. If you do that you'll end up with a Hulkenburg for example, not a Max Verstappen.
I do see your point about the cost cap but as long as it's not every race then it shouldn't be that much of a problem. I think Mercedes will have no issues with Antonelli next year if he bins it a few times
Summary
the best option in every perspective : Valterri bottas
The Young and greatly analysed option: Franco Colapinto
The best young option but no F1 experience: Gabriel
My favorite option which wasn't. mentioned : DR3 or Sebastian Vettel
You forgot the F1 fans favorite option. The return of Pastor Maldonado from his retirement.😎👍 The rookie has shown a lot of talent by crashing on other cars in F2.
Everyone always forgets about Pourchaire...
While i make good use of him in the F1 Manager game, I think there are issues with how "easy" he is to work with. Don't quote me on the second part, because im not 100% but It's just what I've heard before.
Otherwise, i think he would have already had a seat.
Just good driver
@@alexanderrotmensz it feels like the only people vouching for Pourchaire are the ones who use him in F1 Manager. Myself included 🤣
Theo got screwed over for a guy that in three seasons has been conpletely anonymous except for that one time he ended up upside down. Should've gotten at least a season in F1 as all F2 champs should, but Sauber chose money.
Because Pourchaire wasn't a good driver. Junior formula results don't matter, they don't exist for that (otherwis Stroll would be on par with Hamilton and Verstappen). End of it.
F2 is such a joke… if neither Pourchaire nor Bortoleto nor Drugovich honestly 3 years in a row in which the F2 champion doesn’t get in F1. If winning F2 means nothing just get rid of it
If you got rid of F2 where would young talents compete? And yes, winning F2 it doesn't guarantee you a seat in F1, this is not the same as promoting a team in football, a lot more goes into consideration when F1 teams pick their drivers.
@@soundscape26 só winning F2 doesn’t mean nothing? I don’t see the point of f2 if that’s the case, 3 years in a row the f2 champion is in risk of being forgotten even Pourchaire is being mistreated… not to say Drugovich
@@eduardosandes3476 I didn't say it means nothing, only that's not something teams find decisive when it comes to promoting a driver. The parent team may well have a solid lineup with no room for the F2 winner.
Drugovich is on the sidelines for 2 years now yet apparently no team was willing to take him away from the reserve driver role at Aston Martin... only they will know why. 🤷♂
@@soundscape26 I think it should be decisive almost all of the times but I can't understand how a driver can win F3 and F2 in a row as a rookie and not be considered worthy and get a seat (Bortoleto). Also, Pourchaire is being badly ignored by his own team, bro won F2 in his third year, true but he did it while beating some very good drivers. All I'm saving is that back in the day F2 winners were the biggest candidates to get the seat which was good for F2 and motivated me to watch it.
2017: Leclerc won F2, got a seat
2018: Russell won F2, got a seat
2019: De Vries won F2, got a seat
2020: Schumacher won F2, got a seat
2021: Piastri won F2, got a seat
2022: Drugovich won F2, everyone forgot about him
2023: Pourchaire won F2, everyone forgot about him
Need more teams...
I know this question can't wait till the end of the season, but objectively ( and I root for my fellow countryman) I would like to see how Colapinto performs in the upcoming races to say he deserves the seat in 2025.
Tal cual... lleva 3 carreras y ya creemos que es Messi!
I'm with Ed on this one - VB77
The best option for Sauber would be Drugovich, but you are not ready for that conversation
Or Pourchaire
@@night756 Sadly Pourchaire is cooked m8 bad timing for him i'm afraid
Drugovich couldn't get a drive at Williams while Sargeant was struggling. F1 has forgotten about him, and Drugo is delusional enough to think he has a chance at Aston Martin. Your hopes are better placed on Camara instead of Drugovich, who will never make it into F1
@@princeendymion9044 That's true
I would say Théo Pourchaire cause I think he deserves a chance in F1. But if Audi want experience Bottas is their main man. This is why f1 need more teams
F2 is honestly a joke… Drugovich won it and wasn’t even considered, then Pourchaire won it and got mistreated, and now Bortoleto may have a similar fate. These 3 drivers have shown incredible talent and potential but aren’t taken seriously
@@eduardosandes3476 Gabriel Bortoleto literally won F3 as a rookie now is leading F2 as a rookie. wtf is going on all of the rookie winners and challengers are better than good all of them.
Bottas only has experience of going slowly
@@EdBate agreed
@eduardosandes3476 because drugovich and pouchaire took mutiple seasons to win F2. U see theres a big difference between just winning f2 & WINNING F2 as a rookie. F2 champions in their first season include Leclerc Russell Piastri. If a F2 rookie can win the title in his rookie season, whos not to say he can't be on the same lvl as those 3. In comparison regular F2 champions who took mutiple seasons to win, Mick Schumacher, De Vries.... yeah you see why F1 teams been ignoring Drugovich & Theo?
Bortoleto is copying Piastri's path, much faster then colapinto everytime they raced together, and Bottas already gave what he had to the team and the sport
bortoleto is not racing for audi next year, audi ceo in brazil already said that
@@Pato-ARGagreed, he’s not F1 ready yet. His determination and a bit of push from Alonso has taken him from washout to front of the queue in a quick two years. Its like driving Stock Cars at Interlagos in 2022 scared him 😹
Maybe because Bortoleto has a WAY faster car
Bortoleto has also always been in faster machinery than Colapinto with more extensive preparation
Bortoleto the top talent in F2 hands down. Guy is a rookie and is going to win the title
I'll do it. I almost beat G.Ceara on Super Monaco GP on the Mega Drive 30 years ago. Think I'm most qualified.
One thing is sure, your experience in the Mega drive is more important than F2 and F3 nowadays
When I was a kid my nan asked what I wanted for xmas & I said Super Monaco GP...Imagine my disappointment when I opened up a copy of the GameGear version on Xmas day when I didn't own a GameGear.
The teams with the most continuity have seen the most success typically, with some exceptions. If Perez does indeed retire after this season as rumored, Colapinto has to be the #1 driver for that open seat at VCARB.
At almost 2 years older than Antonelli and the same age as Hadjar, Bortoleto has a surprisingly low number of race starts (123 career total) even compared to the accelerated Antonelli. He’s raced for the major junior teams, but they all seemed to back his rivals to advance. His F3 title win while emphatic, was judged a little fortunate after a hectic Monza weekend (for everyone else), but it was based on consistency and in F2 he’s already beaten all those drivers who came with him from that F3 battle, mainly by Feature Race success with few racing errors. What’s surprising is Bortoleto has 20-40 less Formula race car starts than his contemporaries, yet fewer car-car contacts.
With limited race time behind the wheel compared to his rivals, his ability to grab the big chance in this chaotic F2 season, for Invicta of all teams, is what’s caught the eye. His grasp of tyre management and race rhythm is very gifted, he’s already beyond what F2 can teach him in less than a season, but he’s had all of 1 private session in a (2022) MCL36 so far, less F1 car time than anyone else in this frame.
If McLaren’s 2025 turns into a brutal front-row showdown between Piastri & Norris (like 2007), a drive at Red Bull may equally be opening up for one of the current McLaren pair, then having the talented Bortoleto on the books would really strengthen McLaren’s position. For Gabriel himself, turning 20 while learning the ropes at McLaren would be a great season. The Alonso connection may take him to Aston in 2026 if the McLaren route is really blocked. That Sauber drive has a ring of fire about it (worse than Alpine?) and it maybe plain wrong to drop a rookie into it, even one building as solid an F1 record as Colapinto.
With Maloney now side-stepping to Formula-E and if McLaren have the leverage to keep Bortoleto under wraps, the Sauber choice seems a straight coin-flip between Colapinto and Bottas, with their race records mattering less, than does Binotto need double experience for accelerated development feedback or a mix to create proper sporting rivalry on track.
Theres too much emphasis on "exciting" new rookies. They end up getting thrown into the deep end and burning out too quick. There is no substitution for wisdom and experience.
Exactly!!
True but it also creates a lot of diamonds in the rough. Some of the best drivers on the grid today began as especially exciting rookies.
“Exciting” really means cheaper
Experience you can get. Talent, on the other hand, you have it or you don't and never will.
Nonsense. Far more recent rookies - Russell, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri etc - have done well than those that have flopped. Colapinto has taken to F1 like a duck to water already, and Bortoleto will probably join an elite group of drivers to win F3 and F2 back to back as a rookie.
I get for fans it's sometimes sad to see guys like Bottas get replaced, but my god, the sport really needs to move on from some of these journeymen that are just driving around to collect a pay cheque, and give the next generation more chances. The sport needs new blood to remain exciting, particularly when there's so few seats available anyway.
I like this video format. Debate style, convincing arguments.
Bottas is good.. the car is worse. Stake is so bad
The problem is not F2, is the academy's they're damaging the drivers chances on F1, they got blocked on parent team and out of F1. Pourchaire should had been promoted in the place of Zhou after his F2 title. Colapinto is doing well, but we don't know what Pourchaire or Bortoleto would do in F1, they could do better or worse, but they did better in F3 and F2..
Why would saubers own f2 champ not even be a consideration. Théo Pourchaire should be in that seat next year
F2 is losing its credibility, soon there will be almost none F2 champions on the grip
I say keep Bottas. He is still fast. At a high level. Build up the team. Then he can move on while Hulkenberg gives the additional experience.
Exactly
theres no point. He is washed. Hulkenberg still has it and doesnt get beaten by zhou, he destroys magnussen whilst bottas struggles to do that half the time. No wonder hes called shitass
we literally saw bearman keep up and oputqualify hulkenberg, bottas would be out in q1 in the same car. Bortoleto is leading and is better than bearman from the f2 standings, bottas is a washed pig
Bottas was NEVER fast. He barely matched old, tired, post accident Massa. He is garbage, like 44, they were just looking good in rocketship in which even Mazepin would be 5x WDC if you put him in Merc in 2014. Now both of them have ZERO legit wins after rocketships ended, and are being trashed by average rookies. QED...
@@KuK137what he owned massa in quali and beat him in points literally every season what the fuck are you talking about 😂
If it were not Bottas, I think Gabriel is slightly more appealing, achieved better headline results in F2 and he’s Brazilian. Imagine we go to São Paulo and he’s one of the drivers, the already-crazy crowd will go ballistic. He could bring a lot of commercial value to Sauber, a cherry on top of already being a very promising driver. He won’t be a pay driver at all.
Colapinto should have that Audi seat, he deserves it
Nah, Pepsi Pinto is a better candidate
So does bortoletto who's leading the f2 championship
Being a Williams Driving Academy driver I'm not seeing Sauber wanting to develop Colapinto just to hand him over to Williams whenever they'll need him back.
Bortoleto deserves it more
That’s just what a new team needs the experience that a driver who has done half a season will bring. 😂
Any driver going to Audi (Sauber, currently) is a wasted opportunity. Sauber will NEVER win a race even if they had Hamilton or Verstappen OR Alonso (hypothetically speaking).
They can win a race or even championship, the problem is time, it used to be competitive in the mid 2000s and they were literally scoring podiums almost every race in last 2000s, but after BMW pulled out they have been drowning worse and worse, it will take a lot of time to get back in shape.
Why the heck did you put Alonso in. He hasn’t even won with the second best car in 2023 😂
Canada 2008 ring a bell?
BMW Sauber HAVE won a race.
@@someoneunseen5168 That (Canada 2008 with Robert Kubica) was more BMW than it was Sauber, so, technically Sauber have yet to win a race.
Honestly regardless of what Sauber does, I think they’ll end up with a pretty nice line up regardless of who they choose. That says a lot considering the abysmal form they’ve had all year. They’re lucky to come out of this bad run of form with a better drivers pairing that they did coming into it, even taking into account the Audi project as a whole.
It should be either Collapinto or Borteletto.
Continuity is what they need, but UNLESS Audi can actually start overhauling the WHOLE team, Bottas is going to stay the underwhelming option. That's not his fault though. He's behaving just like Raikkonen in 2020/2021: wanting to knuckle down but keeping running into the most ridiculous team issues, like aborting a stop with the driver in the pitlane etc. They absolutely killed a bundle of his spirit with the pit stop saga earlier this year.
Colapinto should get the seat from 2026 onwards, Audi should step up for Bottas' sake. I don't want either of those 2 drivers 2025 wrecked, actually. But Hulkenberg has enough grit and experience to drag Audi forwards, Colapinto has a lot to learn already but I like how he started.
Guys I love Colapinto but being better than Logan Sargeant does not warrant an F1 seat. Throwing him to by far the worst team on the grid with very little experience will not be great for his career. He'll get a seat soon enough but I don't think Sauber is a good place for him right now.
Either Bottas stays or Bortoleto gets the seat, otherwise I just don’t see how someone else isn’t ruining their career lol
Colapinto isn't getting any F1 seat if he doesn't get signed up by Audi. He doesn't have the luxury of waiting it out, we've seen how quickly F1 forgets those on the sidelines .
Every time I see the video in this format, it's an instant skip. Your factual videos are so much better than these 'hot take' podcasts.
Instant skip after clicking on it and leaving a comment.
interesting point about colapinto being bought out of his Williams contract, and potentially Williams dumped Sargent mainly so they could increase the value of colapinto over the remaining races. colapinto probably wasn't going to cost more in damaged cars than sargent was costing, the increase in value of the colapinto contract off-sets any loss in the money brought in by sargent and they knew sargent wasn't going to score any points, so any points that colapinto might score (and now has) is bonus for the team. seems like it was all potential upside for Williams with little chance of it being worse than what they had already with sargent. what seemed like a strange choice at the time it was announced actually makes a lot of sense
6:00 he wasn't on pole on pace it was Maini on pole but he got disqualified because of some plank issue which didn't have any performance advantage. At least give full information @theRace
Great debate between Scott and Ed. Both make great points!
Audi being in that developmental/racing stage once they start in 2026 needs drivers that can give them proper input for future improvement and so on.
Putting in a rookie might not be a good idea because what rookies do is showing their worth to a team first and foremost.
If Colapinto didn't crash, it might be viable. But the reason you choose an experirenced driver is that they are consistant. You can spend your money on R&D rather than repairs. They also have more experience and more feedback to offer engineers so real improvements can be made. When the car plan is sorted, then you can go for "excitement".
Hard agree it should be Bottas. Colapinto has been stellar, but a multi-year commitment for him or Bortaletto could be fatal to their career, preventing them from getting a competitive seat.
At the moment, Sauber is dead in the water and cash from Audi is not a guaranteed panacea.
Its not cash from Audi. Audi takes over the full team incl delivering an own engine… its a NEW TEAM…
Bottas: 10 wins, 20 poles, 67 podiums, 5 Constructors championships, from 240 starts.
Hulkenburg: 0 wins, 1 poles, 0 podiums, 0 championships, 221 starts.
If we're talking about experience, the fact that Bottas is constantly being overlooked in favor of rookies and drivers with nowhere near his driving record, especially by presentors and youtubers is completely criminal.
People really think the disaster fire that is Sauber/Audi would be better off with the driver with the most starts for 0 points, and a rookie is going do anything more than fight alpine for last place is barely hopes and dreams at this point.
Bottas was by every measure *significantly* worse than Rosberg at Mercedes GP.
I wonder what these stats would look like if Hulk was at Mercedes instead of VB.
Lets hear the opinion of the same people that said Williams hiring Colapinto was a surprise and a mistake...
One thing I have learned about F1 is don't believe the teams PR people, don't believe a contract, and don't believe your lying eyes and ears.
I still think there is a lot hanging in the balance in the wake of Lawson. He has 6 races to step up and shine. If he does not, anything can happen. It would seem the rumor mill is a new drama for fans to grip on to. F1 makes changes faster than they ever have, as of late.
This is all on the shoulders of Netflix. They have turned F1 into a drama mini series.
Perez is not finished being under the microscope. We'll have to see what $80M gets you.
feedback from two experienced drivers have no doubt helped Haas improve their car over the last two years. Sauber/Audi would benefit from a similar operations platform. Then introduce a rookie at the end of either Hulk and Bottas’ contract.
The only thing you wonder is whether Colapinto is just the lucky F2 driver (along with Bearman) who we’ve seen in an F1 car - could there be other F2 options that would be even better? You wonder if Red Bull will put Lawson in the main team and bring through Hadjar to RB, but if not could he (or Bortoletto) be better options? I actually think keeping Bottas is also a perfectly reasonable option but just not one for the long term.
Horner said on F1 podcast that they are seriously considering Liam and Hadjar.
I would go with Bortoleto. He is really impressive winning F3 last year and leading in F2 this year. McLaren will not be able to keep him, if Sauber offers him a drive. Norris and Piastri could stay at McLaren for another 10 years. I would also show some interest in Colapinto, he certainly proved he can drive. I see no point in keeping Bottas. He had no impressive drive for quite some time and he is as well as Hülkenberg a bit old for an F1 driver. Bottas won't win anything for Audi and they need a future number 1 driver. We also shouldn't forget Pourchaire, I would consider him as well. I would just give one free practice to Bortoleto and one to Pourchaire to see how they perform. Bottas and Zhou won't go anywhere.
Scott really is pushing pro Colapinto PR. Which is a bit left field also it would be a mistake if Sauber/Audi take a driver not in their stable. Rather go with Pourchaire, than Borteleto or Colapinto as he's an in house driver if they're considering youth.
If I'm not mistaken, Daniel was the driver on the grid with the 5th most wins at the start of the year and Bottas 4th. If he doesn't get a drive for next year, that's 2 of the top 5 out a seat next year. When was the last time it's happened where 2 of the top 5 winningest drivers at the start of a season both don't have a seat the following year? Has that ever happened in F1?
Bottas is the clear choice for audi 1-2 years
Exactly. To build the team and car they need experience the first 2 seasons. With Hulk and Bottas they can truly BUILD the team
Yet Salo and McNish achieved very little for Toyota F1 Team... Why not one exciting rookie to join the veteran?
@@TassieLorenzo Toyota didnt realize how big F1 was
If Audi had made more progress, going with a young driver like Colapinto makes sense. But they're well into the weeds, and need experienced drivers. They need to listen to Bottas, have Hulkenberg rise to the occasion, and then look for a rookie in 2026
Audi getting in to the game is going to be great! Im in the US and have been into F1 for the past 5 years and have seen a massive increase in attention in my country. Opening the US market to F1 will be the turning point into F1 having more than just 5 competitive teams per season. I think Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Audi, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda in the next 20 years will be the 10 manufactures. The US loves Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW, and Hyundai.
I could see BMW over Honda if Honda just wants to do engines.
I love bottas but i think time's up for him. Vowles himself said hes tryna get franco into that sauber seat. And Bortoleto is prolly not gonan get let go by mclaren so quickly.
Wrong VOWLES said he only had a casual chat, he himself said. He doesn’t want to lose Colapinto, he said.
@@Redlingstein ok
1000% they should stick with multiple GP winner and fan favorite Bottas. Don't get distracted by the shiny new kid.
It a new team you need experienced drivers that know about setup
Exactly. Especially with the brand new 2026 car and engine regs!
The 2025 grid may not have any (or only 1) of Perez, Riccardo, Bottas or Magnussen, plus of course Zhou and Sergeant. I would not have believed that was possible at the beginning of the season.
Another issue about / for / with the Bortoleto option is that McLaren academy have some affiliation with Mercedes, which Audi competes against in the motorcar market place.
Merc have no say in the Macca YDP tf are you on it's just an engine supply deal
Bottas was the current RB's Perez of Mercedes in the last year, barely helped Hamilton, if at all, when it mattered. I think his time is done. A young driver should get that seat, whether that's Colapinto, Pourchaire or Bortoletto is another thing. Also this is not the last seat, we still don't know who will go to RB's second seat and who will be in the VCA RBs.
I'm not convinced that there won't be an open seat at VCARB the way things are going.
Already makes me feel sick, that Sauber will probably miss out on a possible F3 to F2 back to back champion, an Argentinian wonder kid, and an F2 champion that they call their own, just to give Bottas another year. Dont get me wrong, Valtteri is a really likeable driver to me and he has his value for sure, but with this kind of talent waiting on the sidelines, how can you justify "continuity"? They have Nico signed up, who definitely has the capability to at least replace what Bottas has done the past couple of years, and will be a great team leader and ambassador for the Audi brand. So why would you not pair him with young talent, that as we see with Franco, Ollie, and co this season, can be very adaptable and competitive from the get go.
Franco is gonna be a beast watch out
Not against Colapinto getting a drive, as he looks to be worthy but I think Bottas is the more sensible choice for the project of Audi.
It will help the transition from one regime to another having an experienced driver who was there before the switch to Audi to advise on how the car has developed and changed. Hulk cant do that as he hasn't been there through the struggles (though his input will still be valuable).
Bottas also has the knowledge and experience of having driven for a top team (unlike Hulkenberg) so can feedback to Binotto what processes were in place with Mercedes that Audi should have (and currently don't). He also still has the speed and is very much a team player. A 1+1 year deal would make most sense (subject to performance).
I don't think Audi knows how to run a motor sports program using top-ranked drivers - because most of their sports car experience is with drivers who previously were in F1 or who washed-out. Even Colapinto has more F1 experience than Audi.
I don’t get why people are saying Bottas is quick when he’s 23rd in a 20 car championship and behind his teammate that everyone says isn’t good enough.
I don’t know why the rankings list him as below Zhou when they both have zero points and he’s beaten him in nearly all races and qualifying. They should list Bottas as above Zhou for sure.
@@sceett He's listed below Zhou because Zhou has one 11th place and VB's best finish is below that.
@lordv1le859 All you said here was that you don't understand how F1 works. If all you're looking at are the standings, then you're looking at the wrong thing.
@@YouthEnergy not really. He hasn’t massively outperformed Zhou and has been largely anonymous.
@@lordv1le859 Actually he has massively outperformed him. Problem is he's doing it at the back of the grid. You say he's anonymous? That's what happens when you're in the worst car.
I'd have to agree with picking a well regarded experienced driver, so sticking Bottas is a good choice - the team is so far from competitive they need two drivers who have been through multiple regulation changes, multiple cars, teams, seen a wider range of issues and can give the feedback to develop the car. Ideally you'd want the two to have different driving preferences too, so your team can learn to manage the car into a wider window -as there is no point in building a fast car that only one driver on the grid can even manage to complete a lap in. Youthful talent is always there to pick up next year, the year after, or any year after that, and exactly what you want to start looking at once the engineering teams are actually making a racecar rather than a car shaped object. Young and hungry is a good partner to a solid older driver only once you actually have a car.
KICK SAUBER has been struggling on performance recently.... Maybe signing Bortoleto to take the final open seat could be good option.
If they pick youth, aren' they just training someone who is going to leave for a better seat in the future. Why not extract knowledge from an experienced driver and then upgrade when you have a better car?
If bortoletto wins the f2 championship and doesnt get a seat it will continue to show how useless it is
F2 is a real joke
To race in F2 doesn't mean you get a seat in F1 if you win. It's the data and telemetry that teams can gather about the driver. Formula 1 Is a lot more about how complete you are as a driver, how fast you can adapt, learn, and develop the car in close connection with engineers.
@@JuanDiego-vx7bxyou are forgetting money a big bag of money
How about another team ?
Colapinto absolutely deserves a seat but i have to agree with Edd here that they do need at least for next year a driver with specific memory of the recent failings of the team, a driver that can listen in and say "no we tried that in this and this way and that didn't work". If they don't have that they can succeed but do risk doing the same mistakes again. Bottas on a 1+1 and if Hulkenberg completely overhauls him in 25 then look at an alternative for 26.
I think i don't know because it should be a development driver. A driver who can tell them what is going on with the car. Yeah some points would be great but with the rules changes and new cars they need to develop the car to have any chance at points.
I genuinely don’t understand the rush to get Colapinto an F1 seat. The field is stacked with talent and he’s young, he’s going to be fine if he has to wait a year or 2.
I see Bottas as the most conservative option. 2025 will be a transition year, but what about 2026? I don't see Hulkenberg - Bottas as a willing combination for a works team. Bortoleto and Colapinto may lose all their momentum at a lacklustre and unorganized team.
Probability:
1. Bottas 35% (although with Hülkenberg they are already have an excellent and experienced driver; also: Bottas would have to agree to a 1-year contract, with extension option in case he performs well vs. Nico)
2. Colapinto 26% (but I suggest Audi waits as long as possible to see how he continues to do this season)
3. Bortoleto 24% (see above)
4. Schumacher 12% (would be great to have an all-German line-up)
5. Pourchaire 2%
6. Zhou 1%.
Easy bortoletto. No need for 2 old experienced drivers end of the day I'd choose bortoletto young up and coming driver leading f2, plus audi would have a home race in Brazil plus let me not mention the amount of sponsors he'd bring to audi and fan base from brazil
He’d be among only Leclerc, Russell and Piastri if he win f3 and f2 titles as a rookie back to back he’s clearly the most talented, let’s not forget he beat Colapinto in both f3 and f2
audi ceo in brazil already said he is not racing for sauber
😂 Stop making it abt countries…
Its abt development and BUILDING A TOTALLY NEW TEAM…Bortoleto has nothing to offer them. He is a rookie.
@@eduardosandes3476😂😂 winning F3 or F2 doesn’t say anything lol it’s abt ability to make development step into F1… Lando is a better driver than Russell…for example.
@@Redlingstein then get rid of F2 and F3 lol... Lando still finished second and Albon third that year. I can't believe I read that winning a championship doesn't mean anything.
Winners of F2 and F3 in a row include:
- Charles Leclerc
- George Russell
- Oscar Piastri
But if a guy on yt says it doesn't say anything than nevermind. I'm tired of this F1 community. But that's a good one: winning doesn't mean anything
Btw: Lando is damn good but only won with the best car, Russell won with the trash W13 and managed to get 2nd in a 2021 williams, yes spa is controversial but he still outqualified Hamilton... In a Williams
Let's see how Louis gets on at Ferrari next year . That could change everything !
Should still go to bottas, Hülkenberg has experience.
But bottas has championship team experience. A rookie in a works team will only drag car development down
Exactly
The colapinto hype train is crazy lmao
rightfully so. I expected Colapinto to have Sargent level of speed, just maybe not as crash prone; turns out he's almost on par with Albon. That's not to say Albon is bad, he is capable of winning races given the machinery now, just that Colapinto is THAT good.
@@GameOver-nm2us I'm reserving judgement for now.
Lets see how things are by the end of the season.
Since Bortoleto will have opportunity at McLaren, and probably Colapinto too at Williams or even RB (if Lawson goes well and they replace Perez), I would prefer another rookie, the more the merrier
Perez - out
Albon or Sainz - to Red Bull
Colapinto - stays at Williams
Bortoleto - to Audi
Everyone happy (except for Mick Schumacher)
wasn't Nick de Vries also seconds quicker than Alex as a replacement and then tanking as a full-time F1 driver?
Brazil or Argentina should get the seat.
Valteri Bottas Deserves that Seat. Can't have another loss of an iconic driver
10 wins at F1, very iconic
@@god99zk danny had 8 , your point?
@@god99zk Being iconic is often not connected to how much you win.
@@soundscape26 the word has lost all of its meaning due to misuse and overuse
Why? He's been there for three years and has made no impact there. The team has gotten worse! They need a fresh start that doesn't include either Bottas or Zhou!
Whilst I think they should go for colapinto, but why not go for bearman? Bearman has arguably been better in the opportunities he’s been given.
Williams should hold colapinto until Sainz goes and make him a more lead driver, or allow him to go to a team like Aston Martin if Alonso retires in a year or two.
Bearman already signed for Haas.. smh
Daby Ric please! Not for the skill or the results, just for the fun
Either Pourchaire or Colapinto deserves to get this seat. Bottas' wage way too high
Its not abt deserving lol it’s abt what Audi as new team needs…and that isn’t a rookie who can’t give any guidance for development or building the tea, itself…
I don't understand how Theo Pourchaire hasn't had a shot at f1. He subbed in indycar and was right on the pace.
Bring seb vettel easy choice marketing magnet and great driver
Give Bottas another year to measure him against Hulkenberg.
Bottas has been at the team for three years, and has made little to no impact there. The team needs a fresh start, and that means fresh blood. Signing a young prospect to partner Hülkenberg! sounds like the way to go imo.
Colapinto has proven to be the best of the 3, same numbers as Albon without upgrades in the car. However, getting stuck in the last team of the grid, racing for a 15th position at best isn't the best kind of advertising for anyone, specially for a rookie.
Three races isn't enough to prove anything.
Hulkenberg - Colapinto is the perfect lineup.
Bottas is a solid pick
100% Bottas!! 😊
Bring back Seb! Rookies are trendy these days but what Audi really needs is a star driver with winning experience and mentality
As a Williams fan, I'd love to see Colapinto on the grid in '25, but if I were in charge at Audi, would I give him the seat if he is still under contract at Williams?
The situation at Williams is much more delicate than that at McLaren. It is clear that both, Albon and Sainz, will leave the team if an opportunity arises in the main teams.
And let's be honest, this could definitely happen in the short term.
McLaren, on the other hand, could easily release Bortoleto to Sauber for at least 3 years, as they already have one of the best driver pairings in F1 who could stay with the team for many years.
Sauber still considering Bottas is a bad joke.
One factor that will play a role, is how much exposure does Audi want or need in S. America? If they're trying to increase their profile in S. America, then they would take a hard look at Bortoletto or Colapinto. If not, sign Bottas to a 1 + 1 and reevaluate for 2026.
Its not abt exposure for the first few years….it’s abt development and building the team from scratch….
Theo Pourchaire
Dude can't even beat Juju Noda in her first ever professional car race
he went to indy and did nothing
@@Pato-ARG He finished P10-15. for a rookie thats a lot.
I love how Theo has been mentioned but has not even been considered