F1 2026: Why Sauber isn't letting Hülkenberg into the new car yet
(Motorsport-Total.com) - Sauber Sporting Director Inaki Rueda has explained why the team has not yet allowed Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto to conduct a simulator test with the Formula 1 car for the 2026 season .
Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg are still waiting for simulator test for 2026 Zoom
Extensive rule changes will come into effect in Formula 1 starting in 2026. The cars will be lighter, and the powertrain will be based on a 50:50 split between a combustion engine powered by sustainable fuel and a significantly more powerful electric component. Furthermore, a system with active aerodynamics and power boost will replace the current DRS.
While other teams are already letting their drivers do their first laps in the simulator, Hülkenberg confirms that he hasn't yet tested the 2026 car. "Soon, soon," says the German. "I think development is still progressing very quickly, so they don't want to give us the wrong impression or false references. That's why we're holding back for now."
Rueda explains the reasons behind this decision in more detail. Firstly, scheduling the simulator sessions is a logistical challenge: "With the current calendar, it's very difficult to give the drivers enough sim time. Ideally, a driver spends a full day in the simulator before a race weekend. Nico was there last Friday, Gabi on Monday, and they prepared both Zandvoort and Monza. This meant we had to split one day between two tracks, and such scheduling conflicts continue throughout the season."
In addition, there are technical reasons for the delay: "Our C46, the car for 2026, is still under development. Because the new rules are so comprehensive, the model is currently undergoing significant changes. We don't want to present the drivers with a car that will later differ significantly from the final version," Rueda said.
Rueda declined to specify a precise date for the first tests. However, he confirmed that Hülkenberg and Bortoleto will test the C46 virtually during the preparations: "We have it firmly in our program, but we don't want to rush into anything."
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