F1 News
Sauber clean up: Reserve driver Theo Pourchaire sidelined
- Ludo van Denderen
For years, Theo Pourchaire was regarded as Sauber's greatest talent, but the Frenchman did not have the opportunity to compete in F1 after winning the Formula 2 championship in 2023. That will not happen at this team either, as Sauber (soon-to-become Audi) have announced the Frenchman's departure from their Academy. Moreover, Zane Maloney is also no longer the part of their youth setup either.
Pourchaire earned the Formula 2 title in 2023, after which many believed he has a bright future ahead of him. But last season, the next step did not happen - the Frenchman only gratuated from the feeder series to become Sauber's reserve driver. For a short time, Pourchaire did drive for McLaren in IndyCar, but there he was soon sidelined in the American series as well.
The Frenchman was also in the picture to race for Nissan in the Formula E series, but the Japanese team opted for Norman Nato instrad. Pourchaire has not managed to secure a race seat for 2025 either. However, he has been appointed as Peugeot's test and reserve driver in the World Endurance Championship.
Maloney has already secured seat in Formula E
Zane Maloney is also leaving the Sauber Academy. The driver from Barbados drove in F2 last season, but did not compete in the final round in Abu Dhabi to focus his next chapter. The driver will continue in Formula E, where he will race for the new Lola team.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!