German driver Nico Hulkenberg will join the Sauber team in 2025, currently called Stake F1 Team, but from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards it will become the official Audi team.
This is not the first time that the experienced driver will defend the Swiss team. In 2013, Hulkenberg had already competed for Sauber, achieving good results.
That season, Sauber used Ferrari engines, as well as in 2024. Hulkenberg’s teammate was Esteban Gutiérrez.
The start of the championship was not the best for the German. He wasn’t even able to start the Australian GP due to a problem with the car’s fuel system.
Despite the initial setback, Hulkenberg won his first points in the following races. In Malaysia and China, he finished eighth and tenth respectively. After a series of races without points and a retirement after a collision with Giedo van der Garde, the most notable moment of the season arrived for the German.
Between Monza and the Japanese GP, Hulkenberg scored points in four consecutive races. The peak came with fourth place in South Korea, where he finished 20 seconds behind Romain Grosjean, who took third place. This result became one of the frustrations of Hulkenberg’s career, as he never achieved a podium in F1. In his second stint at Sauber starting next year, the German driver hopes to finally achieve a better result.
Hulkenberg has signed a long-term contract with Sauber. This means he will race for Stake F1 in 2025 and will continue with Audi in 2026, when the German manufacturer takes control of the team. Hulkenberg’s teammate over the next few years has not yet been defined, but Carlos Sainz is the most considered.
“The possibility of racing for Audi is something very special,” said Hulkenberg after the announcement. “When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. Representing the factory team of a car brand like this, with a power unit made in Germany, is a great honor for me”, concluded the German driver.
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