F1 News: Sauber F1 Academy axes Pourchaire, Maloney & Schreiner
The Sauber F1 team (soon to be renamed Audi) has decided to ruin three of their young F1 Academy Drivers holidays. In the press release below, they attempt to sugar coat the fact that Théo Pourchaire, Zane Maloney and Carrie Schreiner will no longer be supported financially, and they are sending them packing.
Sauber Press Release
Another long, intense year of racing is ending, and the time has come to take stock for the Sauber Academy drivers. Théo Pourchaire, Zane Maloney, and Carrie Schreiner kept active throughout 2024, racing on some of the world’s most renowned circuits representing Sauber Motorsport’s driver development program in their respective campaigns.
Joining Super Formula as the reigning Formula 2 champion, Théo Pourchaire made his debut in the Japanese series in early March. An opportunity across the Atlantic saw the young Frenchman making the move to IndyCar, promptly showcasing adaptability and race craft in his North American debut, which culminated with a points finish.
His breakthrough performance in Detroit allowed Théo to achieve his first top ten finish after a steadily progress season. The momentum continued at the Toronto round in July, where he filled in for the injured Alexander Rossi, delivering a strong performance despite a whirlwind schedule that saw him arrive mere hours before the race.
Alongside his racing programs, Théo supported Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber as reserve driver, both trackside and off the track, working at the simulator and providing crucial feedback for the team. A new chapter now awaits the Frenchman, who recently took the role of test and development driver for Peugeot in the World Endurance Championship.
One of Sauber Academy’s 2024 new entries, Zane Maloney enjoyed a strong start to his Formula 2 campaign with a dominant weekend in Bahrain that saw him winning both the Sprint and the Feature Race. Zane’s season featured strong performances and consistent results; he quickly adapted to the new generation car, earning multiple podiums and remaining competitive weekend after weekend.
Despite some challenges along the way, Zane remained in contention for the title as the championship progressed. Much like fellow Academy member, Théo Pourchaire, Zane too supported the team with simulator work back at base in Hinwil in between races, as part of his Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber reserve driver role.
The penultimate round of the Formula 2 championship in Qatar marked the young Barbadian’s last appearance in the series, as the following week Zane travelled to São Paulo, Brazil, for the inaugural race of the 2024-2025 Formula E Championship, making his debut for Lola Yamaha ABT.
With Formula One providing full support to F1 Academy from 2024, Carrie Schreiner was chosen to represent the team at the beginning of her second season in the series. In a campaign marked by consistent performances and steady progress, Carrie continued to show her skill and positive approach, chasing point finishes and managing to overturn tough race weekends with grit and determination.
Alongside her F1 Academy commitments, Carrie also gained valuable experience in other series, taking part in the Silverstone and Zandvoort British F4 rounds; she also returned to her GT racing roots, taking part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, finishing third in the SP 8T class.
Concluding her journey in the all-female series after two seasons, Carrie will still be sporting the team’s distinctive fluo racing green and black colors, as she prepares to take on a new role as Team Brand Ambassador from 2025, promoting the team’s values and acting as a mentor for young drivers, in parallel with continuing her racing career.
It’s been a long season for the three drivers of the Sauber Academy, who are now set to graduate from the development program. While pursuing new endeavors and progressing in their racing careers, each of them will remain part of Sauber Motorsport’s legacy in the sport, having left a mark in their own unique way
