Sauber’s success is an F1 anomaly as teams switch focus to 2026

SILVERSTONE, England: Sauber celebrated a rare podium finish with Champagne donated by its Formula 1 rivals. After all, this wasn’t meant to be its year.

Mercedes sent over a staffer to Sauber bearing bottles of Champagne and a message of congratulations after Nico Hulkenberg’s surprise third place at the British Grand Prix on Sunday. It was his first podium as a driver and the team’s best finish in 13 years.

Sauber personnel jumped and sang as the sparkling wine was sprayed around the team’s hospitality site.

Not bad for a “building year,” as Hulkenberg put it in February. Sauber was one of the teams eyeing 2026 opportunities before 2025 even began.

The biggest rule change in a generation brings smaller cars with movable front and rear wings and more electrical power. Teams who have been also-rans in 2025 have the chance to make a big step forward.

The teams eyeing a leap forward

At the halfway point of the 2025 season, Aston Martin, Williams and Sauber – to be rebranded Audi next year – all have ambitious plans for 2026.

Development work at Aston Martin’s brand-new wind tunnel across the road from the Silverstone circuit is 99 percent focused on next year’s car, team principal Andy Cowell said Friday.

It’s the first Aston Martin overseen by design great Adrian Newey, who’s created title-winning cars for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull over nearly 40 years in F1 and is the star signing of the team’s new era.

“He pushes the boundaries,” Cowell said. “He packages 10 things into the space where only one would normally fit.”

It’s been a quiet 2025 on track. Aston Martin had its first double points finish of the season Sunday, with Lance Stroll seventh and Fernando Alonso ninth.

At Williams, driver Alex Albon was