Alpine Signs Paul Aron for FP1 Duties with Sauber
Alpine F1 Team has officially signed a loan agreement with Sauber, allowing reserve driver Paul Aron to participate in Free Practice 1 (FP1) sessions at the upcoming British and Hungarian Grands Prix. This decision addresses Sauber’s need for a rookie driver, as the team currently lacks designated reserve drivers for the 2025 season.
Aron, a promising talent who previously excelled in Formula 2, will make his debut in Sauber’s C45 this weekend at Silverstone, replacing Nico Hülkenberg during the session. After Silverstone, he will also take over Hülkenberg’s seat in Hungary, just before the summer break.
Sauber has confirmed that Gabriel Bortoleto, who recently secured his first points by finishing eighth in the Austrian Grand Prix, will fill other rookie driver slots.
Commenting on the opportunity, Aron stated, “I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to have valuable track time in Formula 1. While I continue to focus on my development with Alpine, I look forward to the two sessions with Sauber and giving my maximum effort.”
Aron has been engaged in an intensive private testing program with Alpine in preparation for his duties at Sauber. Meanwhile, Alpine appears committed to keeping Franco Colapinto as Pierre Gasly’s teammate, despite calls from de facto team principal Flavio Briatore for improved performance. Rumors have circulated regarding Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas as a potential contender should Colapinto not meet performance expectations.
As the season progresses, several strategic movements within teams continue to highlight the evolving dynamics of driver lineups in Formula 1.
