Experienced hands or a rapid rookie – who’s in the frame for the vacant Sauber seat?

Sauber/Audi are still pondering who to put in the car for next season alongside Nico Hulkenberg, but it appears they are zeroing in on their lead contenders. F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto combs through the names linked to the seat…
Valtteri Bottas has long been the favourite to get the nod for what will be a fourth season with the Swiss operation.
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Talks between the Finn, his management and Sauber/Audi boss Mattia Binotto had progressed to the extent there was chatter a new deal could be announced before Austin.
However, that never happened. When I asked him in Austin why not, he replied: “I think that’s more a question for Mattia.
“I’ve been informed there’s nothing really I can do at this point, so I’ll just focus on racing and my performance. You should ask Mattia, but I’m always positive – and at the same time do my job and hope eventually everything will be sorted.”
It seems everything is in place for Bottas to stay on, with the team edging towards favouring experience. The Finn therefore remains in a very strong position to get the nod – but evidently, Sauber/Audi have yet to close off their other options.
READ MORE: Bottas ‘can’t do anything’ to speed up Sauber driver decision as he plays waiting game over F1 future
Gabriel Bortoleto has emerged as Bottas’ greatest threat according to sources, with the F2 championship leader having impressed many across the paddock with his performances this year.
The Brazilian – who won last year’s F3 title – has picked up two wins and three podiums to sit top of the pile with just two events to go.
He’s supported by a management firm linked to Fernando Alonso and is also highly-rated by McLaren, who recruited him to their driver development programme last year.
Talks have been on-going between the two parties, with Sauber/Audi believed to have expressed a very strong interest in taking him on next year on a long-term deal.
However, they are not keen on a loan arrangement and instead would want to sign Bortoleto outright.
As it stands, Bortoleto is pondering whether he wants to stick with McLaren, who have emerged as the strongest force in F1 but don’t have a spare race seat for the foreseeable future or join Sauber/Audi knowing that it’ll be an uphill battle early on given they are currently bottom of the constructors’ standings.
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Franco Colapinto has been linked with the Sauber/Audi seat, too, with his Williams boss James Vowles having spoken to the team about taking the Argentine on next year as there’s no space for him to stay at Grove.
Talks aren’t believed to have progressed to the level of those with Bottas and Bortoleto, with Williams not keen to release him from their stable. They would instead prefer a loan arrangement.
This isn’t as appealing to Sauber/Audi, however, he remains in play.
Binotto recently said Sauber/Audi were evaluating Mick Schumacher, who is currently part of the Mercedes driver programme and on the look-out for a return to the grid after two seasons racing with Haas.
Binotto knows what Schumacher is capable of, as the German was part of the Ferrari programme during the Italian’s time with the team – and Audi could be tempted to recruit a second driver.
While he remains on the shortlist, it is believed he isn’t a leading contender at this stage.
READ MORE: Binotto admits turning Audi into F1 winners will be ‘like climbing Everest’ as he sets out timeline for success
Zhou Guanyu is on the shortlist but it seems like his chances of staying in F1 are on the lower end of the scale.
“We’re talking about it [his future],” said Zhou when we chatted in Austin. “Everything is in the hands of Mattia who is here this weekend, making further talks with my management team.
“For me, all I can say is I’m trying to do my job here and hopefully impress him and see where the future is.”
When I asked if he felt he still had a chance of staying, he replied: “Yeah, of course – I still feel like it. I did a few talks with him already. I think I I still have an opportunity, it’s good – it gives you good hope.
“Nothing is decided until it’s down in black and white. I’m just going to be focused on what is happening right now and see how everything goes.”
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Sauber/Audi’s reserve driver Theo Pourchaire isn’t often mentioned when the second seat is discussed but sources say he is still on the shortlist, albeit not as a leading contender.
The Frenchman was highly-rated by the team, especially when Fred Vasseur was in charge, and did two FP1s for them last year – in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.
However, since then, he has fallen off the radar with the likes of Bortoleto, Colapinto, Ollie Bearman and Kimi Antonelli impressing as the latest wave of potential future stars.
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