Nico Hulkenberg will leave Haas at the end of the 2024 season and join Sauber in a multi-year deal.
The veteran of over 200 grands prix has been confirmed as the first driver in Audi’s F1 team as it prepares to join the championship in 2026.Hulkenberg said the prospect of joining Audi’s factory team for 2026 was “something very special.”
“When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity,” Hulkenberg said. “To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honour for me.”
Audi will debut in the world championship when it rebrands Sauber at the end of next season. Hulkenberg is set to reunite with Andreas Seidl, Sauber’s CEO, who ran Porsche’s World Endurance Championship team when Hulkenberg won the Le Mans 24 Hours with them in 2015.
Seidl said there had been “mutual interest” between Audi and Hulkenberg as preparations for Audi’s entry into the sport have ramped up.
“Nico is a strong personality, and his input, on a professional and personal level, will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team,” said Seidl.
Hulkenberg joined Haas at the start of last season, returning to F1 after three years without a full-time drive. He currently sits in 13th place in the drivers’ championship on four points, having taken three top 10 finishes from the first five grands prix of the season.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu offered his gratitude to Hulkenberg for his contributions to his team over the last two years.
“He’s been a great team player and someone we very much enjoy working with,” said Komatsu.
“His experience and feedback have proved invaluable to us in terms of improving our overall performance – a fact that’s clearly evident in both his qualifying and race performances in the VF-24 this season. There’s lots more racing to go this year so we look forward to continuing to benefit from his inputs throughout the remainder of the 2024 season”.
Hulkenberg has competed in 208 grands prix over 13 seasons in Formula 1 since joining the grid in 2010 as the reigning GP2 champion. He recently matched Andrea de Cesaris’s record for the most grand prix starts without a victory with his 208th grand prix start in China.
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sumedh
26th April 2024, 9:48
I guess Haas didn’t fight much with Bearman waiting in the wings. Hope Haas can also get one more exciting rookie.
Dex
26th April 2024, 10:06
Must be that, although I’m not sure that Haas can, or rather want to compete with anyone in anything (be that fight for the driver contracts or the championship itself). I suppose that Bearman will be a downgrade in performance in the beginning (I’m not prone to hype), based on what I’ve seen so far. He’s young, but who cares about age… Will he improve by much, that nobody knows (it seems that most drivers reach their peak within a year or two in F1).
I’m glad we’ll get to see him and find out. In any case, Haas will be developing a driver for another team, which again shows how ambitious they are. One decent talent on a loan, and one below average driver with strong limitations… I guess that’s the best Haas will ever strive for. If I were in their place, I’d look for Magnussen’s replacement too; but no one wants to drive for peanuts so I guess that’s that. I’d rather give a chance to another rookie too (yeah, they don’t like rookies, I know), there aren’t many super promising drivers at the moment, but for Haas it’s worth a punt, considering what they have.
Janith
26th April 2024, 10:52
You are underrating Magnussen. Hulk is much better than what people think he is. Magnussen would be tough for a rookie
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2024, 11:11
sumedh Not a foregone conclusion, Bearman would necessarily fill his vacancy.
People shouldn’t forget Gene has had a clear preference towards experienced drivers after what happened with Mick, which is only a recent-past thing, so I’ve admittedly been baffled that people think he’d suddenly be open to rookies or otherwise inexperienced drivers again, not that changing one’s mind is impossible, but for now, I reckon they’ll look for another experienced driver, maybe even Bottas, who’ll likely lose his drive at Team Hinwill. Well, at least him, if not both.
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
26th April 2024, 11:19
How would they “fight”?
“Oh, no, please stay with us and our low-cost no-budget team with no real upward trajectory and don’t go for the factory outfit with tons of future potential… Pretty please?”
Nick T.
26th April 2024, 19:40
Exactly. That and the fact you know they must have the lowest driver salaries on the grid.
BasCB (@bascb)
26th April 2024, 22:41
Yeah, I cannot imagine any driver who has an option elsewhere to even consider going to or even staying at Haas. Even Williams has ambition, be it they have been failing pretty badly at achieving anything solid with that.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
26th April 2024, 9:54
Sounds sensible to me.
Hulkenberg is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, he will be able to give far more back to the team as they start to grow than some Rabid Rookie desperate to prove themselves.
That said … a Rabid Rookie in the other seat might be fun :)
Pinak Ghosh (@pinakghosh)
26th April 2024, 18:23
Or expensive!
RR
26th April 2024, 10:00
So Audi have ruled out any wins or podiums, just a steady accumulation of points in the midfield.
kuvemar
26th April 2024, 10:28
My first thought. Maybe get Sutil out of retirement for maximum mediocrity.
Janith
26th April 2024, 10:57
You think you are funny. But you are not. The teams in F1 only hire drivers either from F2 or from their reserve drivers. Or if they make a much hyped F1 cameo. Others have no hope. Sutil is long gone. He was a solid driver.
kuvemar
26th April 2024, 13:33
I have no idea what you’re trying to say.
Janith
26th April 2024, 19:56
Obviously I’m telling how F1 teams choose their drivers right now. It’s either through reserve drivers, F1 cameos or F2 results
kuvemar
26th April 2024, 20:01
Thanks for telling me. I thought they would do TV casting shows.
Patrick (@paeschli)
26th April 2024, 15:19
Meanwhile in the real world Hulkenberg beat Sainz handily last time they were paired up.
Or are you going to move the goalposts and say Sainz is mediocre as well?
Nick T.
26th April 2024, 19:45
Speaking of Sainz, with Newey leaving, I think the odds of RBR signing Sainz just went up astronomically. They won’t be able to rely on Max sticking around and even if he does, they’re unlikely to have a dominant car, unless Newey is still going to design their 2026 car. So, they’ll need two good drivers.
Kringle
26th April 2024, 10:29
It’s Audi’s version of BMW’s Nick Heidfeld, nothing wrong with that.
Apophis (@apophisjj)
26th April 2024, 11:48
Hulkenberg is nothing close go Heidfeld.
Apophis (@apophisjj)
26th April 2024, 11:49
to* Heidfeld
MichaelN
26th April 2024, 12:49
Heidfeld’s “failure” in F1 has always been a bit puzzling as his prior record was very strong. I suppose he was never really at the right spot at the right time, and McLaren preferring Räikkönen or him must have had an effect on how other teams saw him aswell.
PeterG
26th April 2024, 16:25
Indeed because Heidfeld scored podiums ;p
dot_com (@dot_com)
26th April 2024, 13:16
Exactly what I was thinking.
Retired (@jeff1s)
26th April 2024, 17:23
Looks like they wanted a German so bad
Dannyboy
26th April 2024, 10:15
Bottas to Haas? That would be a coup for Haas!
Of course they could also try and lure Ricciardo as he will be out of a seat by end of season at the latest, but Ricciardo probably thinks he is too good to drive for a bottom team.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2024, 11:14
Very plausible.
I see Haas & Williams as his only realistic options for continuing his uninterrupted F1 career into next year.
pez2k (@pez2k)
26th April 2024, 11:16
Ricciardo is a former HRT driver, so I suppose he’s already plumbed the deepest depths.
Simon
26th April 2024, 16:24
That was right at the start of his career though
Konstantinos Evangelou
27th April 2024, 9:00
To me the perception at the moment for Ricciardo is that he has underperformed in three most recent teams he has driven for, I would be very surprised if even bottom teams would rather have him than take their chances on a rookie.
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
26th April 2024, 10:16
Just need to get Newey in and the Hulk shock 2026 world title win comes true.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:17
He could maybe set a record and win a title without ever winning a race, it’s theoretically possible, and keke rosberg won with a single win in 1982.
Would be even better if he could win the title without podiums, but that should be mathematically impossible.
Milicek
27th April 2024, 20:53
Very possible with DNFs of podium finishers.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th April 2024, 10:22
Glad for Hulk. He’s such a good driver, Haas is a small place for him. Even this late in his career.
I wonder if Sainz will join them too, or they’ll keep Bottas. I really wish Sainz didn’t join Audi, he still has a lot in him to give it all up and join a “building team” project.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2024, 11:13
I doubt they’ll keep Bottas in any case & perhaps not even Zhou, but more likely him, if either.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:19
Yes, if sainz has a chance to go to a decent team I’d prefer that than audi, best would be red bull but unlikely unless verstappen leaves.
Tristan
26th April 2024, 10:28
Smart plan, Hulk and Bottas I think would be a stable team, kind of how Red Bull had Couthard and Webber. Then they can just get one of the many young talents or even lure a superstar (like Merc scoring Hamilton) once the car is up to speed.
Janith
26th April 2024, 10:47
I hope you are right. But I doubt Bottas can stay at Sauber for 2025 and beyond
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2024, 11:13
Janith Same.
His fate seems clear. Either both current drivers will get sacked or him rather than Zhou, if only one of them.
Janith
26th April 2024, 13:02
Bottas would want a more than 1 year contract. And he and Hulkenberg have like a combined age close to 80 by 2026. I just can’t see him staying there now with Hulk coming
Tristan
26th April 2024, 12:32
Zhou over Bottas would be wild… I understand Zhou for Sauber currently, brings money and the China market for the gambling casino. But Audi really don’t need a pay driver.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:21
Indeed, I would be surprised if zhou keeps his seat and bottas doesn’t, that would be like ferrari taking current hamilton over sainz, or even worse, when force india took vettel over perez.
Jere (@jerejj)
27th April 2024, 6:41
Tristan @esploratore1
While Audi as a big manufacturer certainly doesn’t need anything from drivers, China being a very big market for them, possibly even the biggest, puts Zhou at an advantage.
Janith
26th April 2024, 10:50
Same pathetic decisions from Sauber. I’m pretty confident they will drop both drivers now for 2025. Which makes the last 3 years totally pointless. They did the same with Raikkonen-Giovinazzi for 3 years.
Edvaldo
26th April 2024, 15:38
But what would be their point anyway?
They’re a small team. They exist somehow. That’s their point.
Janith
26th April 2024, 19:53
They add nothing to the sport and treat their drivers miserably. And this has been going on for some years now
HK (@me4me)
26th April 2024, 10:51
This deal makes a lot of sense.
Sauber-Audi is still in quite a miserable state, and have made no real progress throughout the ground effect era since 2022. It’s going to take several years before they achieve any meaningful success. Not only do they need to produced a better car (chassis), they’ll also need to stand on their own feet regarding the power unit. There is no way they could attract one of the top drivers at the moment.
Hulkenberg is a good professional driver. No bad attitude. No misaligned expectations. Just what Audi needs for the initial 3-year period.
Janith
26th April 2024, 11:01
I was hoping for a Vettel comeback. But Hulkenberg got that position.
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
26th April 2024, 11:08
The article is confusing me a bit as it doesn’t mention “next year” or 2025. Will Hulkenberg drive for Sauber in 2025, or will he sit the year out and only be a race driver for the team from 2026?
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
26th April 2024, 11:13
Ok so I checked on Sauber’s website, which at least makes it clear.
The title and article here almost suggests that he will only join them for 2026, which led to my confusion.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:23
Mmm, in that case it could be a downgrade for hulkenberg the first year.
Gary
26th April 2024, 11:10
This decision makes me think of the movie “Rush,” where Tyler Alexander tells James Hunt: “We have other good options for the seat, like Jacky Ickx.”
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2024, 11:12
Next to all but confirmed for a little while or at least very expectable, but the announcement timing is surprisingly early.
Simon
26th April 2024, 16:27
Of *course* it is, Captain Hindsight…
Jere (@jerejj)
27th April 2024, 6:41
Simon I like your South Park reference.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:25
To me, this was a surprising announcement!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:25
As in the decision to take hulkenberg, it makes sense but came out of the blue.
Frank
26th April 2024, 11:17
Understandable choice, even given his age.
Hulk is arguably what makes the difference betxeen Haas, Alpine, Williams and Sauber in the points. Few drivers can claim to make a similarly significant difference.
For Hulk, it is his last throw of the die for some substantial success. Audi might get it right.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:27
I’m not really optimist about new teams becoming competitive, however it makes sense from hulkenberg’s perspective, as he never got a special result, like a podium, and haas nowadays had no chance to give it to him, so if audi turns out a little better there could be that possibility.
José Lopes da Silva
26th April 2024, 12:14
This deal is the ultimate win for Hulkenberg. Everyone belived that his career was over after being trounced by Ricciardo and being effectively out of F1. Congratulations for him
Edvaldo
26th April 2024, 15:41
A good driver uses the opportunity he’s given to find better deals.
Hulk was done, forgotten already, out of nowhere got this deal with Haas, a bad team for all intents and purposes, was impressive numerous times with his speed. And now got a deal with a works team. All the praise for this guy.
Dusty
26th April 2024, 18:49
Talk about making the most out of your opportunities. He only got the Haas drive after his solid drives as short notice replacement.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:29
Indeed, he did a good job on maximising his opportunities and unlike others, who wasted opportunities in top teams, like gasly, albon or kvyat to an extent, he never really got one, so can’t say he wouldn’t have performed with a top car.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
26th April 2024, 16:09
While I’m happy to see Hulkenberg stick about, I would be sad to see it at the expense of Bottas – who I think has done a really good job with a poor machine. If he can’t stay at Sauber/Audi, I hope he can find another place.
Pinak Ghosh (@pinakghosh)
26th April 2024, 18:22
“Valterri, its James”
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
26th April 2024, 19:30
Hopefully they will look at results and replace the worst performer, as in zhou.