2025 Pre-Season Testing – Day 1

Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber had a solid first official day of track action as testing for the 2025 Formula One season got underway in Sakhir, Bahrain. The team completed a full day of running with the C45, with Nico Hulkenberg driving in the morning, while team rookie, Gabriel Bortoleto, took over in the afternoon. Despite a power outage which affected all teams’ track operations in the afternoon, both sessions ran smoothly for both drivers, with the pair completing more than 110 laps —a steady start to the season.

Testing continues tomorrow, with Nico back in the car for the morning session before Gabriel takes over in the afternoon.

Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit / 5.412 km
Driver: Nico Hulkenberg (morning); Gabriel Bortoleto (afternoon);
Laps: 55 laps, 297.660km (HUL); 59 laps, 319.308 km (BOR)
Fastest Lap: 1:32.169 – P18 (HUL); 1:31.690 – P12 (BOR)

Nico Hulkenberg (Car 27): “We had a solid and productive first day today, and it’s overall nice to be finally back on track. It was an important first day with the car: we started with a solid baseline and put in some good laps throughout all morning, going through the programme we had set for ourselves. Between the two sessions, we gathered a useful amount of data about how the car behaves, which the team will be working on overnight. Now, it’s about learning more over the next few days, making the most of our track time.”

Gabriel Bortoleto (Car 5): “My first official day with the C45 has been quite an interesting experience. We focused on some aero runs throughout the session, testing different aspects and getting some useful mileage. Towards the end, we had some fresh sets of tyres to push a little and have some fun. Overall, I’m quite happy with what we achieved today. After the first day, there is always a lot to learn and improve. It’s just the beginning, and I am eager to be back in the car tomorrow.”