Nico Hulkenberg may have a brand new Formulation 1 crew in 2025.
Sauber introduced Friday that Hulkenberg would sign up for the crew subsequent season because it prepares for Audi to go into Formulation 1 in 2026. The German automobile producer is becoming a member of Formulation 1 in two seasons when new automobile and engine laws take impact. Sauber shall be Audi’s manufacturing facility crew.
“We’re more than happy to welcome Nico again right here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formulation 1,” Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl mentioned in a observation. “Proper from the beginning, there used to be nice mutual hobby in construction one thing long-term in combination. Nico is a sturdy character, and his enter on a qualified and private stage will lend a hand us to make development each within the construction of the automobile and in increase the crew.”
Hulkenberg, 36, has pushed 208 races in Formulation 1 and not scored a podium end. After sitting out the 2021 season and using the primary two races of 2022 as an alternative motive force, Hulkenberg has been at Haas for the reason that get started of 2023. After scoring only one top-10 end in 2023, Hukenberg has 3 points-scoring finishes over the primary 5 races of the 2024 season.
Sauber’s transfer implies that it’s going to no longer retain both Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu in 2025, and it’s conceivable that neither motive force might be with the crew subsequent season. Sauber has been discussed as a conceivable vacation spot for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz because the crew seems to make a bounce with Audi in 2026. Sainz is out at Ferrari on the finish of this season as Lewis Hamilton joins the crew to power along Charles Leclerc in 2025.
After you have his get started in F1 with Williams in 2010, Hulkenberg drove for Sauber in 2013. He completed tenth within the aspects standings. His best possible season got here in 2018, when he completed 7th within the standings.
Saber has struggled mightily in 2024, each with regards to its pace at the observe and with its pit stops all through races. Neither Zhou or Bottas has scored some extent this season. Sauber, Williams and Alpine are the one 3 groups to have each drivers with out aspects in the course of the first 5 races of the season.
Haas won’t have to seem a ways to search out Hulkenberg’s alternative subsequent season. The crew has an alliance with Ferrari and generally is a logical touchdown spot for Ferrari’s Oliver Bearman. The 18-year-old made his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia previous this yr after Sainz had an appendectomy and completed 7th after qualifying eleventh.