
Kick Sauber is a Swiss motorsport company that competes in Formula 1 racing. Its original name was Sauber Motorsport, and it currently competes in F1 as the Kick Sauber F1 Racing Team. The team was founded by Peter Sauber in 1970. Before entering into F1, Sauber had taken part in the Swiss Sportscar Championship and the World Sportscar Championship. Sauber is the only independent team in F1 that has not won a single championship race.
The team got a chance to debut in Formula 1 for the first time at the 1993 South African Grand Prix. Karl Wendlinger and JJ Lehto were the team's debut drivers in 1993. Sauber partnered with Mercedes in 1994, forming the Sauber Mercedes F1 Team. From 1995 until 2005, Sauber was operated under its entitled name. But from 2006 to 2010, they were a team with BMW, and from 2019 to 2023, they were the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team. Audi will purchase the team's maximum stake in 2026, marking the German giant's official debut in Formula 1.
Kick Sauber Formula 1 Drivers List
Kick Sauber has raced with 32 different drivers who have competed in Formula 1 as of April 2025. Talented drivers like Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Nico Hulkenberg, and Jacques Villeneuve were part of this team. The table listed below summarizes the different national drivers that have driven for the team or are still driving for the 2025 season.
Years | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
2025 | Nico Hulkenberg | Gabriel Bortoleto |
2024 | Zhou Guanyu | Valtteri Bottas |
2023 | Valtteri Bottas | Zhou Guanyu |
2022 | Valtteri Bottas | Zhou Guanyu |
2021 | Kimi Raikkonen | Antonio Giovinazzi |
2020 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Kimi Raikkonen |
2019 | Kimi Raikkonen | Antonio Giovinazzi |
2018 | Marcus Ericsson | Charles Leclerc |
2017 | Marcus Ericsson | Pascal Wehrlein, Antonio Giovinazzi |
2016 | Marcus Ericsson | Felipe Nasr |
2015 | Felipe Nasr | Marcus Ericsson |
2014 | Esteban Gutierrez | Adrian Sutil |
2013 | Nico Hulkenberg | Esteban Gutierrez |
2012 | Sergio Perez | Kamui Kobayashi |
2011 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sergio Perez, Pedro de la Rosa |
2010 | Kamui Kobayashi | Pedro de la Rosa (replaced by Nick Heidfeld for the last five races) |
2009 | Robert Kubica | Nick Heidfeld |
2008 | Nick Heidfeld | Robert Kubica |
2007 | Robert Kubica | Nick Heidfeld, Sebastian Vettel (replacement driver) |
2006 | Nick Heidfeld | Jacques Villeneuve (replaced by Robert Kubica in mid-season) |
2005 | Felipe Massa | Jacques Villeneuve |
2004 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Felipe Massa |
2003 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Nick Heidfeld |
2002 | Nick Heidfeld | Felipe Massa, Heinz-Harald Frentzen |
2001 | Kimi Räikkönen | Nick Heidfeld |
2000 | Pedro Diniz | Mika Salo |
1999 | Jean Alesi | Pedro Diniz |
1998 | Johnny Helbert | Jean Alesi |
1997 | Johnny Helbert, Gianni Morbidelli | Nicola Larini, Norberto Fontana |
1996 | Johnny Helbert | Heinz-Harald Frentzen |
1995 | Karl Wendlinger | Jean Christophe Boullion, Heinz-Harald Frentzen |
1994 | Karl Wendlinger, Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Andrea de Cesaris, JJ Lehto |
1993 | Karl Wendlinger | JJ Lehto |
Kick Sauber F1 Drivers 2025
According to F1’s official website, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are Kick Sauber F1's drivers for the 2025 season.
F1 Reserve Drivers Of Kick Sauber Year-by-Year
Kick Sauber has appointed various reserve drivers through the years. However, for the 2025 season, Sauber has not announced its reserve driver role. From 2005 to 2010, Sauber’s reserve driver's role was not so prominent, and the team relied on most of its development drivers for the races.
Given below is a table summarizing the known reserve drivers for the Kick Sauber Racing Team.
Years | Reserve/Development Drivers |
2025 | To Be Announced |
2024 | Zane Maloney, Theo Pourchaire |
2023 | Zane Maloney, Theo Pourchaire |
2022 | Zane Maloney, Theo Pourchaire |
2021 | Robert Kubica |
2019-2020 | Robert Kubica |
2017 | Antonio Giovinazzi |
2018 | Antonio Giovinazzi |
2017 | Antonio Giovinazzi |
2016-2014 | Not specified |
2013 | Esteban Gutierrez |
2012 | Esteban Gutierrez |
2011 | Esteban Gutierrez |
2010 | Esteban Gutierrez |
2009-2007 | Not Specified |
2006 | Sebastian Vettel |
FAQs on List Of F1 Drivers Of Kick Sauber Year By Year
A. Karl Wendlinger and JJ Lehto were the first two drivers for the Sauber F1 team in 1993. Sauber debuted its F1 season at the 1993 South African Grand Prix.
A. Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are the F1 drivers for the Sauber F1 in 2025.
A. Sergio Pérez and Kamui Kobayashi drove for Sauber in 2012.
A. Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica, Sebastian Vettel, and Jacques Villeneuve had driven for BMW Sauber in F1.