Mattia Binotto has laid out the criteria ওfor Sauber’s 2025 driver - and the names in the mix꧙ have been revealed.

Thereꦐ arꦕe only two seats remaining before the 2025 F1 driver line-up is complete, one each at Sauber and RB.

Sauber have signed Haas’ ꦓNico Hulkenberg but are mulling over whether to keep an existing driver - Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu - or bring in a rookie.

“Conversations are believed to ꧙have been held” about Gabriel Bortoleto, the F2 title contender, with McLaren, F1.com reports.

“They are believed to have s💙poken to Ferrari” about Robert Shwartzman, the report claims.

Sauber ran Shwartzman in FP1 in Zandvoort as part of t♑he young driver rule.

Zane Maloജney or Theo Pourchaire are also options from within Sa𒁃uber’s academy.

Bu🐷t there is some good news for F1 veteran Bottas whose career is at-riskܫ of coming to an early end.

“The team, so sources say, have been leaning towards experience with Bo💙ttas favourite to get the nod,🔜” F1.com report.

Criteria for Sauber driver

A list of driver options was drawn up b☂efore ex-Ferrari team principal Binotto arrived as the new Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer.

Binotto wil🧔l oversee the transition into becoming Audi in 2026 when the new F1 rules 💃begin.

“Our journey is looking▨ to the next years, it’s not only 2025,” he told F1.com about his driver choice.

“So when assessing the choice,ไ we need to look at what is best knowing what we need to achieve in the future.

“Valtteri is doing well, and certainly I have already [had] some discussions with him. A good first impression but, having said that, there are many drivers on the list and we need as Audi ♏to take our time to assess what is best. And hopefully soon we come to a decision.”

Binotto laid out his crit💛eria: “In the end, the choice is a compromise.

“Ideally you’d have a rookie who is very talenteꦯd and has a lot of experience, which d🏅oesn’t work, so you need to take a decision that is a compromise to what are the requirements and necessities.

“But I don’t think it’s such a difficult decision in the end. We just need to make sure we’re fully conv❀inced in what we are doing. You need to support your choice.

“Getting on well with the dr🌱iver is very important as well because it’s about driving yes, but 🐈it’s about being together, leading and supporting a project.

“It’s not only that when [a driver is] at a race track, he is just in his own monocoque and driving around the track, it’s also about what is required �♉�back at the factory and supporting the team.”

Bottas, in return, has insisted that he must sign a multi-year contract. He has stated that a one-year deal is not of interꦗest.

Sauber, this year, are the only F1 team to have not scored💯 a point.

Bottas and Zhou are rooted to the foot of the drivers’ standings wit෴h zero points apiece.