Kick Sauber C45

Kick Sauber C45
Nico Hülkenberg driving the C45 during the Japanese Grand Prix
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorKick Sauber
Designer(s)
  • Mattia Binotto (Chief Technical Officer)
  • James Key (Technical Director)[1]
  • Stefano Sordo (Performance Director)
  • Stefan Strahnz (Programme Director)
  • Eric Gandelin (Chief Designer)
  • Lucia Conconi (Head of Vehicle Performance)
  • Alessandro Cinelli (Head of Aerodynamics)
  • Franck Sanchez (Chief Aerodynamicist)
PredecessorKick Sauber C44
Technical specifications
EngineFerrari 066/12
1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 RPM in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout 1.6 L (98 cu in) V6 (90°)
Electric motorFerrari kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
TransmissionSauber 8 forward + 1 reverse
Weight800 kg (including driver, excluding fuel)
FuelShell V-Power[note 1]
LubricantsShell Helix Ultra[note 2]
TyresPirelli P Zero (Dry/Slick)
Pirelli Cinturato (Wet/Treaded)
Competition history
Notable entrantsStake F1 Team Kick Sauber
Notable drivers
Debut2025 Australian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
140100

The Kick Sauber C45 is a Formula One car designed and constructed by Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber to compete in the 2025 Formula One World Championship. It is driven by Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg in the team's final year before becoming the Audi factory team in 2026. Designed as an evolution of the Kick Sauber C44, a series of successive upgrades starting at the Spanish Grand Prix has significantly increased the team's competitiveness. After scoring three consecutive points finishes, Hülkenberg achieved the team's first podium since 2012 at the 2025 British Grand Prix.

Background

The car's livery was revealed at the F1 75 Live event on 18 February 2025, which was followed by a series of digital renderings released immediately after the event.[2][3] The chassis was designed to build on a late-season aerodynamic and cooling package brought to the C44,[2] but the car struggled with significant stiffness and airflow issues during pre-season testing. As a result, the team expedited an upgrade package intended for later in the season and arrived at the first round with a very different chassis than in testing.[4]

Competition and development history of the C45

The C45 made its public debut at Bahrain International Circuit during official preseason testing. Prior to the car's debut, both drivers completed testing under the Testing Previous Cars (TPC) programme with the C44 at Yas Marina and the C42 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.[5]

Debut and first points

On its race debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, Bortoleto reached Q2 in qualifying and Hülkenberg finished in seventh position to score six points.[6] As a result, the C45 achieved more points in its first race than its predecessor scored throughout the entire 2024 season. After Jonathan Wheatley joined as Team Principal for the Japanese Grand Prix, the team's pit stop times began to drop substantially. After recording the second and fourth-fastest stops in Bahrain, the team recorded the fastest pit stop in Miami with a time of 2.24 seconds.[7] However, the team still failed to score points for seven consecutive races, which included a post-race plank wear disqualification for Hülkenberg after Bahrain.[8]

Mid-season upgrade packages

Sauber brought a large upgrade package to the Spanish Grand Prix, which included substantial changes to the floor outer edge, the engine cover shape, and the front wing.[9] Aimed at reducing the car's sensitivity to dirty air and crosswind, Hülkenberg drove from fifteenth on the grid to sixth after passing Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari in the closing laps. After post-race penalties were applied the team recorded a fifth place finish, its best result since the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.[10] Hülkenberg finished in the points again with eighth in Canada, however Bortoleto still failed to score. This changed after a second upgrade package was introduced in Austria, where Bortoleto qualified eighth to deliver the team's first Q3 appearance since 2023.[11] In the race, Bortoleto led the team's first double points finish since 2023, finishing in eighth and winning driver of the day.[12]

A third upgrade package in four races was introduced in Great Britain, which included further changes to the C45's floor and the front wing. During a mixed-condition race with heavy rain, Hülkenberg held off Lewis Hamilton in the final stages to finish on the podium in third position.[13] This result was his maiden podium after 239 Formula 1 starts, ending the longest historical streak of race starts without a podium finish. This was also the team's first podium in thirteen years, ending a drought dating back to the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.

Sponsorship and livery

The car's livery retains the green and black colors of cryptocurrency-based online casino Stake, whose two-year title sponsorship deal ends after the 2025 season. As during the previous season, the team's branding will change to Kick in jurisdictions where gambling sponsorship is outlawed.

In Miami, the team raced in an alternate livery with green paint splatters intended to represent the street art of the city. In Spain, the team raced in an alternate "pixelated" livery in deference to joint title sponsors Kick.

Complete Formula One results

Key
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Superscript
number 		Points-scoring position
in sprint
Year Entrant Power unit Tyres Driver name Grands Prix Points WCC pos.
AUS CHN JPN BHR SAU MIA EMI MON ESP CAN AUT GBR BEL HUN NED ITA AZE SIN USA MXC SAP LVG QAT ABU
2025 Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Ferrari 066/15 1.6 V6 t P Brazil Gabriel Bortoleto Ret 14 19 18 18 Ret 18 14 12 14 8 Ret 9 6 51* 7th*
Germany Nico Hülkenberg 7 15 16 DSQ 15 14 12 16 5 8 9 3 12 13
Source:

* Season still in progress.

References

  1. ^ "Key to lead Sauber into Audi era in technical director role". autosport.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Ready to hustle harder: Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber unveils the C45". sauber-group.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  3. ^ "GALLERY: Check out Kick Sauber's 2025 livery as they become first team to reveal colours at F1 75 Live". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  4. ^ "2025 Australian Grand Prix – Saturday". sauber-group.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Final Sauber F1 car before Audi era revealed". The Race. 18 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix 2025 - Race Result". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  7. ^ "2025 DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Hulkenberg disqualified from Bahrain Grand Prix". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  9. ^ "How F1's slowest car was upgraded to a Ferrari-beater". The Race. 7 June 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  10. ^ "F1 - The Official Home of Formula 1® Racing". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  11. ^ "F1 - The Official Home of Formula 1® Racing". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  12. ^ "F1 - The Official Home of Formula 1® Racing". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  13. ^ "F1 - The Official Home of Formula 1® Racing". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

Notes

  1. ^ Zero Petroleum branding appeared on the C45, but the car used Shell V-Power fuels.
  2. ^ Sunoco branding appeared on the C45, but the car used Shell Helix lubricants.
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