With this recurring column, ooooIYKYK aims to summarize activities of Audi racing campaigns and competition endeavors. Intended as a weekly fixture, the idea is to provide brief updates of results, preparation, happenings and rumors pertaining to on track activities.
OPEN WHEEL RACING – F1
The 2025 F1 season begins this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. Given the timing of this week’s report (Saturday), this will include commentary on the qualifying session for the Australian Grand Prix. Expect a summary of the race in next week’s report.
Sauber Australian Grand Prix Qualifying Results
Team: Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber
Series: Formula 1
Drivers: Niko Hulkenberg & Gabriel Bortoleto
Circuit: Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit / 5.303 km
Car: Sauber C45
Video: Qualifying Highlights, Driver Reactions
If we are to take results of the qualifying sessions in Melbourne as an indicator, it appears the KICK Sauber F1 team has returned with a higher level of performance. Rookie driver Gabriel Bortoleto in car #6 qualified 15th ahead of Mercedes’ rookie Kimi Antonelli (16th), teammate Nico Hülkenberg in car #27 (17th), Liam Lawson of Red Bull (18th) and the two Haas cars.
James Key, Technical Director: “We have mixed emotions today, because it feels like there was an opportunity to be a little further up the grid. But equally, it’s good to be close to many of our direct competitors. The first two days in Melbourne showed that it’s incredibly close. You just have to look at the lap times that we saw in Q1. But I’m sure that will continue to be the case through the year. We have improved the car during the weekend but there are still some steps ahead to find a better and more consistent setup; however, our long run pace looks reasonable. We have got some developments on the way over the next races which we hope will move us forward amongst this very tight pack. A big thank you to everyone in the team for the hard work in
Nico Hulkenberg (Car #27):
FP3: 16th / 1:17.146 (15 laps)
Q1: 17th / 1:16.579 (9 laps)
“The first lap was okay, but I still don’t feel like being the boss in the car and it takes a while to grow confidence. On my second quick lap I had a bit of traffic in sector one, which basically knocked me out in Q1. When you look at the times the field is very compact, which means that small things can have a big impact. It feels like we didn’t maximize our opportunities today, which is not a real surprise, given that it’s early days with a new team and a new car. Let’s see what the conditions will be like tomorrow. If it rains, it will be a new game. We will do our best.”
Gabriel Bortoleto (Car #5):
FP3: 11th / 1:16.707 (18 laps)
Q1: 1:16.516 (8 laps)
Q2: 15th / 1:17.520 (5 laps)
“I’m feeling quite okay – I think we did a decent job as a team, maximizing the learnings from the three practice sessions. Q1 went smoothly; we put everything together and made the cut. I think making it into Q2 in my first-ever qualifying is definitely not bad. I wanted to give it a shot at Q3 and pushed a little too hard on my lap – I still managed to keep the car on track, but it didn’t really make sense to try again. Still, I think we can be quite satisfied with the job done today. Looking ahead to tomorrow, there’s a high chance of rain: anything can happen in these conditions, especially on a circuit like this. With a clean race and no mistakes, I think we can achieve a decent result, so I am looking forward to it.”
Jonathan Wheatley Joins Sauber as Team Principal
Team: Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber
Series: Formula 1
Jonathan Wheatley will become Team Principal of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber beginning April 1st, 2025. Wheatley comes from Red Bull F1 where he’d operated as the team’s Sporting Director, ending a career with Red Bull that spanned nearly two decades and 13 world championships.
News broke on the move last August, though Sauber has most recently confirmed when Wheatley would begin work, which is just in time for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka as it turns out.
Carlos Sainz Jr. Comments on Father’s Disappointment He Didn’t Join Audi F1
Series: Formula 1
Drivers: Carlos Sainz Jr.
As Sauber prepared for its final season prior to its shift to Audi F1, much speculation surrounded just who they would sign as driver. With Lewis Hamilton heading to Ferrari, Carlos Sainz Jr. was available and Audi wooed the driver with what Sainz Jr. refers to as a “great offer”. Audi even had some family ties given Carlos Sainz Sr. had competed as part of Ingolstadt’s Dakar Rally program, winning outright in 2024. Carlos Jr. even visited the team during that event, causing much speculation.
In the end, Sainz Jr. went to Williams and Sauber moved to sign F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto. Now, ahead of Melbourne, comments by Carlos Jr. made to Germany’s Blick about his father’s feelings on his son not choosing Audi are making news.
“My father, Carlos, is still disappointed that I didn’t choose Audi’s great offer a few months ago,”
“After my dream of moving to Red Bull or Mercedes fell through, I had to decide between Audi, Alpine, and Williams.
“After visiting the factories and having discussions, my gut feeling immediately told me – go to Williams. They want a better future. And when my heart also said yes, the decision was made.
“I hope that my father, who had great times with Audi, will soon be happy that I chose Williams.”
F1 Official Trailer Drops ahead of Formula 1 Season Opener
Series: Formula 1
If you’re a racing fan then you likely already know that there’s a new F1 movie coming out starring Brad Pitt. Now, just ahead of the Australian GP, there’s a new 2 minute 28 second trailer that’ll give you the rundown on what to expect.
Apple Original Films Presents a Monolith Pictures / Jerry Bruckheimer / Plan B Entertainment / Dawn Apollo Films Production, A Film by Joseph Kosinski, F1®. The movie will be distributed in theatres and in IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally on June 25, 2025, and in North America on June 27, 2025.
SPORTSCAR RACING – GT3 Customer Racing
Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser Return to GT World Challenge Australia
Team: Team BRM
Series: GT World Challenge Australia
Driver: Alex Peroni & Mark Rosser
Car: R8 LMS GT3 Evo II
Team BRM will continue to run the Audi R8 LMS program driven by Alex Peroni and Mark Rosser in the GT World Challenge Australia, now for its second year. Now in a stronger position and with some miles together under their belts, the squad is aiming to be a serious contender this coming seasons.
Kiwis Brendon Leitch and Tim Miles Return Driving Dayle ITM Team PMC Audi
Team: Dayle ITM Team PMC
Series: GT World Challenge Australia
Driver: Brandon Leitch & Tim Miles
Car: R8 LMS GT3 Evo II
Another Audi R8 LMS on the GT World Challenge Australia grid will be driven by a pair of New Zealand drivers. Brendon Leitch and Tim Miles have confirmed they will again take the wheel of the Dayle ITM Team PMC Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II for the 2025 season.
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