Sauber’s Struggles and New Leadership: A Season in Review
Valtteri Bottas has acknowledged his 2024 season with Sauber as a mistake, pointing to significant management shifts that derailed initial ambitions. Following the departure of Fred Vasseur to Ferrari, Sauber, now racing under the Audi banner, suffered a disastrous campaign, finishing with a mere four points—only salvaged by Zhou Guanyu’s surprise eighth place.
The team’s decline became pronounced in 2023 and culminated in a historic failure to secure a top-10 finish in the first 24 races. Bottas stated, "There was a clear plan for targets for the three years… But those plans went into the bin when Fred left."
New management, including CEO Mattia Binotto and team principal Jonathan Wheatley, emerged amidst hopes of revitalizing performance. Binotto emphasized the importance of aligning short- and long-term goals, addressing morale issues engulfing the team due to perceived neglect of immediate competitiveness for future gains under Audi.
As the season progressed, technical upgrades to the C45 provided a morale boost and led to tangible results. Upgrades rolled out in Barcelona and Silverstone delivered significant improvements, with finishing positions steadily advancing. Despite a mixed opening to the season, Sauber experienced a resurgence, scoring points in four consecutive races and moving from the back of the grid to sixth place.
Wheatley highlighted the importance of momentum, stating, "What I take from today is people start believing in us." The improvements have also fostered greater driver confidence, notably for Nico Hulkenberg, who clinched a podium at Silverstone.
With the constructors’ standings tightening, Sauber is now eyeing fifth place, just 18 points behind Williams. Reflecting on the momentum, Wheatley remarked, "We put more performance on the car again this weekend. Let’s see what Spa holds for us." The battle for midfield supremacy continues as Sauber aims to leverage recent gains into a competitive edge heading into the latter part of the season.
