It is believed senior management initially liked the idea of continuity in one seat – with Hulkenberg joining from Haas in the other seat – and felt Bottas’ extensive experience (he’s driven for Williams and Mercedes previously) could be useful in dragging the team off the bottom of the standings.
But as Binotto continued to evaluate Bottas’ contribution, assessed what he had to work with and formulated the plan he believed can revive the squad’s long-term fortunes ahead of Audi’s arrival as a factory team in 2026, the benefits of signing a young talent started to entice him and the organisation.
While they accept it would be challenging for a rookie to get to grips with what is currently a difficult machine to drive, this could be outweighed by the long-term gains of investing in a rising star.
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Sauber has a long history of bringing young drivers through and giving them a chance, from Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa to Robert Kubica and Sergio Perez. All of them went on to win Grands Prix.
By signing a young driver on a long-term deal, the Swiss operation could continue that tradition into the team’s new era with Audi.
So, the team began to explore their options – and there were some particularly exciting choices out there to evaluate.
Swiss
