2025 Canadian Grand Prix: Preview

Hinwil, 10 June 2025 – Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber prepares for the Canadian Grand Prix aiming to build on the momentum from the previous round, where Nico Hulkenberg scored a season-best fifth place. Encouraged by recent developments and improvements to the C45, which allowed it to prevail in a fiercely contested midfield battle in Spain, the team remains focused on building consistency and extracting more performance at a venue known for its unique challenges – the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The team’s F1 Academy driver, Emma Felbermayr, will be also returning on track for Round 4 at the Canadian Grand Prix. With Race 2 in Miami having been postponed due to adverse weather conditions, an additional third race has been added to the weekend schedule of the all-female junior series.

Team Quotes

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal: “We head to Montreal with renewed confidence and valuable feedback from our performance in Barcelona. As much as it confirmed the changes we made to the car are improving our competitiveness, we need to stay focused and make the best of each opportunity to score points. Montreal has its own set of unique demands, and we need to make the upgrades from Barcelona work for this track, being quick to adapt and keep pace with the pack. Our focus is now on translating the gains we’ve made into another strong performance, staying sharp and continuing our upward momentum.”

Nico Hulkenberg (car number 27): "Barcelona marked a step in the right direction for us. The car felt stronger, we executed well as a team, and we got the result we had been working hard for. That kind of weekend lifts everyone and brings fresh energy into the garage and to everyone at Hinwil. Of course, we know there’s still a gap to close, but we have made some encouraging steps forward. The focus for this weekend is on staying consistent, getting everything right from the very start, and keeping that level of performance up. If we do that, we can be in contention in the midfield battle."

Gabriel Bortoleto (car number 5): “I am looking forward to Montreal: it will be a new track to discover for me, and I have been working at the sim in between these races to get a better understanding of its limits. We came out of Barcelona with encouraging feedback on the upgrades and their potential. Our performance showed we are getting closer to where we want to be – although there are still some steps to be taken – and from my side, seeing Nico’s good result made me even hungrier. Now, I can’t wait for the weekend to get underway: the key, as always, will be staying focused and adapting to whatever comes our way, making the most of any opportunity.”