It’s official. Nico Hulkenberg will leave Haas and join Sauber for the 2025 season ahead of their transition to Audi in 2026.
Hulkenberg becomes the second Formula 1 driver to announce he’s changing teams for next year. The first, of course, was Lewis Hamilton, who’s heading from Mercedes to Ferrari.
The German driver has taken part in over 200 Grands Prix since he made his F1 debut with Williams in 2010. He holds the unfortunate record for most race starts without a podium finish, and will hope to rectify that at his new team.
Hulkenberg has had two spells out of F1 since he made his debut. The first came in 2011 as Williams went in a different direction, but Force India signed him up for the following year.
More recently, Renault let him go in 2019 in favour of Esteban Ocon. It appeared that his F1 career was virtually over, aside from a handful of stand-in outings for Aston Martin.
But Haas offered him a lifeline in 2023 and his impressive performances have earned him a move to Audi. He scored nine of the team’s 12 points last year and ranks a commendable 13th in this year’s championship on four.
The 36-year-old previously raced for Sauber back in 2013 and finished in the top 10 in the standings. Following a takeover from a giant brand, he certainly won’t see it as a sideways step this time.
The latest on the future of Carlos Sainz after Nico Hulkenberg announcement
Many will be wondering what all of this means for Carlos Sainz. Sainz is currently without a drive for the 2025 season after Ferrari decided not to renew his contract and sign Hamilton instead.
According to German publication Auto Motor und Sport, Audi’s ‘dream’ is to pair Hulkenberg with the Spaniard. They had been pushing for a quick answer, but they’re now willing to show more patience, particularly with one driver already on board.
This gives Sainz time to assess his options. If there’s a vacancy at Red Bull – and Sergio Perez is doing enough to keep his seat at the moment – then there’s a good chance he’ll earn less than he would at Audi.
Mercedes, meanwhile, are only prepared to hand Sainz one guaranteed year. They want the option to sign Max Verstappen or promote Kimi Antonelli for 2026.
There would be no such ‘ifs and buts’ if he decides to join Audi. It sounds like they’re prepared to go to great lengths to get him through the door.
Will Carlos Sainz join Audi?
The key question for Sainz is whether he’s willing to accept initial mediocrity in the hope of long-term success. Sauber are currently bottom of the constructors’ championship as one of three teams yet to score point.
There’s little prospect of a major improvement before the end of 2025, and even when Audi arrive patience will be required. They intend to build their own engines, and history has shown that it can take a while for new entrants to reach the level of their competitors.
Even beyond that, the dramatic expansion of their workforce is bound to cause a degree of disruption. They will need time to gel as a team as they split their resources between their base in Germany and Sauber’s existing HQ in Switzerland.
By 2031 – five years after their arrival – Audi hope to be competing for titles. But that’s far easier said than done.
There will be a degree of pain for Sainz in dropping so far down the grid after recent race victories in Singapore and Australia. As one of the standout drivers in 2024, he’ll surely feel he deserves better.
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