2025 Japanese Grand Prix – Sunday

Suzuka, 6 April 2025 – Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber wrapped up the Japanese Grand Prix with a P16 and P19 finish. After overnight rain, the race started in dry conditions, setting the stage for a characteristic Suzuka race – where overtaking is notoriously difficult.

The team opted for a split strategy: Nico Hulkenberg started on medium tyres, while Gabriel Bortoleto began the race on the hard compound. A challenging start saw Gabriel drop to the back of the field, but he recovered well, showing pace on par with the lower-midfield runners. Nico delivered a solid performance in comparison to his direct opponents, engaging in several battles from the opening stages to the closing laps. Ultimately, both drivers crossed the finish line in a tight group of five cars separated by just 2.6 seconds.

The Japanese Grand Prix marks a solid start to the first triple header of the season. The team now looks ahead to the next challenge at the Bahrain International Circuit next weekend, followed by the race in Saudi Arabia.

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal: “There are a lot of positives to take away from this race. Despite an unfortunate start from Gabriel, he gained competitive speed during the race and together with Nico, both cars kept pace with the lower mid-field pack. Nico had another solid race and given the challenges of overtaking at Suzuka together with getting stuck in the DRS train behind Jack Doohan, he kept pushing to the very end. I want to recognise the great teamwork this weekend and in particular some encouraging pitstop times. That is a good start to the triple header and I want to thank the race team and everyone back at the factory for their support and contribution.”

Nico Hulkenberg (car number 27):
Race result: 16th
Fastest lap: 1:32.572 (Lap 31)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Medium) – Lap 22 (New Hard)

"The car didn’t feel too bad today, and I would have liked the chance to explore its full potential a bit more. But Suzuka is a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult, and that really defined the race. I spent most of the time in traffic, which made it hard to make any real progress and ultimately turned it into a fairly uneventful race. That’s obviously a bit frustrating. We know there’s still work to do – both in terms of overall pace and car characteristics – and today’s race underlined that once again. It‘s still early in the season and we continue to learn with every race weekend.”

Gabriel Bortoleto (car number 5):
Race result: 19th
Fastest lap: 1:32.034 (Lap 45)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Hard) – Lap 31 (New Medium)

“Even though I was obviously aiming for more than the final result, I’m leaving Suzuka satisfied with how the weekend unfolded. I have learned a lot – it’s been a steady learning curve since Melbourne, and I am feeling more in control with each session. I want to thank the team both trackside and back at base in Hinwil for this, as they are always by my side with their unwavering support. Unfortunately, I didn’t get off to the best start today and found myself at the back of the pack. Climbing back through the field proved difficult, especially at a circuit like Suzuka where overtaking is notoriously tough. I’m taking all the experience and learnings with me as we head to Bahrain for the second leg of this triple header.”