Here’s why Théo Pourchaire probably has no future in F1

Reserve driver at Sauber F1, Théo Pourchaire will still have to miss the opportunity to get a seat for next season. His dream of evolving in the premier category is greatly obscured.

If Pierre Gasly, reinforced at Alpine, and Esteban Ocon, who will compete at Haas F1, will be there for the 2025 Formula 1 season, this will probably not be the case for Théo Pourchaire. Cited late to take Valtteri Bottas’ seat at Sauber – the Finn being favorite to succeed himself – the French driver sees the opportunities to progress in F1 dwindling from month to month. The risk of never evolving in the premier category is very present.

Without a major sponsor, Théo Pourchaire comes from far away to evolve in F1

It must be said that the native of Grasse has come a long way. Unlike many competitors such as Gabriel Bortoleto – supported by several Brazilian sponsors in addition to being very talented – Théo Pourchaire does not have significant financial support. “Solely” supported by Intermarché, the 21-year-old driver has seen his name circulated several times to replace Guanyu Zhou.

But the presence of big sponsors and the attraction of the Chinese market have worked in favor of the current holder at Sauber F1. In a hyper-competitive F1, where places are limited, this slight financial windfall inevitably plays tricks on Théo Pourchaire. But it’s not just that.

Not much consideration at Sauber

At the start of the season, Théo Pourchaire saw the arrival of a new reserve driver in the person of Zane Maloney. A real signal of distrust which has strengthened over the course of the season. Proof of this is that Sauber preferred to field Robert Mikhailovich Shwartzman, Ferrari reserve driver, during a free practice session reserved for rookies during the Dutch F1 GP.

Enough to seriously question the Swiss team’s plans for the young French talent, who is suffering from the departure of Frédéric Vasseur for Ferrari. The now strong man of the Scuderia has always supported Théo Pourchaire. It was he who brought the driver to Sauber and then became his mentor until his departure. The two men also share a very strong common history, since Théo Pourchaire was trained at ART GP, a team founded… by Frédéric Vasseur. This very famous academy has also seen renowned drivers like Lewis Hamilton pass through.

The F1 market is clogged

While the grid for the 2025 season is practically complete – officially, two final seats are still to be filled – Théo Pourchaire is clear-eyed about his chances of becoming a regular driver at Sauber F1. “It’s still a little unclear. I think the team still hasn’t made its choice. I hope to be their choice, but it could still be complicated,” he confided to our colleagues at RMC Sport.

He then reveals a certain resignation about his future. “My wish is to ride. F1 is the ultimate dream. IndyCar would make me happy. I’ve had a lot of contacts, but it’s a difficult category to access. I would also like to do endurance Hypercar racing. » But there too, access will be difficult…