Audi F1 Team Announces Nico Hulkenberg Seat After Haas Exit - 'Milestone'

Alex Harrington | Apr 26, 2024

Nico Hulkenberg has been announced as the new driver for the Audi F1 team starting in 2025 under the Sauber name, following his departure from Haas F1 at the end of the 2024 season. This strategic shift marks a critical "milestone" in Audi's F1 ambitions.

The F1 landscape is set to witness a pivotal transformation as Nico Hulkenberg, currently a Haas F1 team driver, prepares to join the Audi F1 team for the 2025 season under a multi-year deal. This announcement comes as Audi accelerates its preparations to become a formidable contender in Formula 1, aligning with Sauber's impending rebranding as a works team.

Hulkenberg, who made a notable comeback with Haas in 2023 after some years away from a full-time F1 seat, has impressed with his performance despite the car's limitations. His forthcoming transition to Audi is timed with the sport's regulatory changes in 2026, expected to level the competitive playing field.

Ayao Komatsu, Haas Team Principal, lauded Hulkenberg's contribution to the team, acknowledging his substantial role in their recent successes.

"I'd like to extend my thanks to Nico for his contributions to the team in the time that he's been here with us - he's been a great team player and someone we very much enjoy working with," Komatsu said. "His experience and feedback have proved invaluable to us in terns 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 a lot more racing to go this year so we look forward to continuing to benefit from his inputs throughout the remainder of the 2024 season," he added.

Echoing the sentiments of a fresh start and grand ambitions, Andreas Seidl, CEO of the future Audi F1 factory team, expressed his excitement about Hulkenberg joining the team.

"The signing of Nico is the next milestone for Audi's Formula 1 project. With his speed, his experience and his dedicated teamwork, he will make an important contribution to Audi's participation in 2026 as early as next year," Seidl noted. "Nico is a strong personality, his determination and desire 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," Seidl concluded.