Sauber Shuffles: Bortoleto’s New Teammate for Hungary FP1

Paul Aron is set to step into Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber for the first practice session at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, marking his second FP1 outing of the 2025 season.

The 21-year-old Estonian, who serves as Alpine’s reserve driver, first got behind the wheel for Sauber at Silverstone last month. That arrangement came via a deal between the teams, allowing Sauber to meet its mandatory rookie runs without a dedicated junior lineup.

Aron, fresh from a strong third-place finish in last year’s Formula 2 standings, expressed his thanks for the track time. “It’s a key chance to build experience in an F1 environment,” he said, eyeing a full-time seat down the line.

For Sauber, this ticks off another of the required young driver sessions, with Gabriel Bortoleto already handling two earlier in the year. Hulkenberg, who joined the Swiss outfit for 2025 after leaving Haas, will resume duties from FP2 onward at the Hungaroring.

This move highlights the growing ties between Alpine and Sauber, as teams navigate the push to give emerging talents a shot amid packed race weekends. Aron returns to his Alpine reserve role right after, ready for any call-ups.