2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Sunday

Jeddah, 20 April 2025 – Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber wrapped up a challenging weekend in Jeddah with a race that showcased solid execution despite limited reward. The team split strategies at the start, boxing Gabriel under the early Safety Car for a long 48-lap stint on hard tyres.

Nico made the most of the car with the help of a clean and well-executed pit stop. While the final positions — P15 for Nico and P18 for Gabriel — didn’t reflect the effort put in across the garage, the team leaves Saudi Arabia with valuable data to inform the development path of the C45.

After a demanding triple-header between Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the team will regroup, recharge, and aim to come back stronger focusing our attention on Miami in a fortnight.

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal: “Another long, hard weekend for the team. We started the race with the drivers on different strategies. We boxed Gabriel under the lap 1 Safety Car, and he drove a 48-lap stint on the hard tyres, delivering exactly what we asked of him. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the pace to stay ahead of Doohan at the end of the race and was just overtaken on the line. For Nico, we got the most we could out of the package today with a P15 finish. We find ourselves coming out of the weekend with no damage, an excellent pit stop for Nico, and in a good position to focus the development direction for the C45. It has been a gruelling triple-header for the team, but we will regroup, refocus, and get ourselves in the best shape for Miami in two weeks’ time.”

Nico Hulkenberg (car number 27):
Race result: 15th
Fastest lap: 1:33.446 (Lap 39)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Hard) – Lap 33 (New Medium)

“This was the most demanding race of the season so far. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a clean and uneventful Sunday for everyone – I didn’t see a single yellow flag after the first lap. We simply didn't have the pace to make up more positions or challenge for points. The balance of my car wasn’t ideal, which led to increase tyre wear. There’s no doubt that we’ve got some work to do. On the positive side, we had a clean race on this demanding street circuit and collected plenty of data to analyse. After an intense start to the season and a tough triple header, it’s good for the whole team to have a short break before we reset and go again in Miami.“

Gabriel Bortoleto (car number 5):
Race result: 18th
Fastest lap: 1:34.447 (Lap 39)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Medium) – Lap 1 (New Hard)

“This weekend has been a big learning experience – from how we prepare, to managing setbacks, and understanding just how important every session is. At the same time, it’s been a really tough one from start to finish. The race itself was frustrating: not much happened on our side. We chose to switch to hard tyres during the Safety Car at the start, but by the final 15 laps, they were completely gone and I was just focused on bringing the car home. Now it’s time to rest, recover, and reset – both mentally and physically. I would like to thank the team, both trackside and back in the factory, for their unwavering support so far: they always have my back, and they help me growing as a driver race after race. I’ll take the lessons from this weekend and head to Miami ready to fight, in a better place and determined to make the most of everything I’ve learned so far in my first five races.”