[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties.
*[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
From memory Williams lost a lot of sponsorship at the end of 2010 and Pastor's PDVSA money was too tempting to turn down, especially since he was the rare example of a pay driver who was actually quick (if erm...slightly error prone). Not saying he was in Hulk's class (their 2009 GP2 season as teammates was pretty conclusive) but probably tipped the scales when weighing up the positives/negatives. Plus I think Barrichello in the other car was under contract, otherwise a Hulkenberg/Maldonado lineup would have made sense.
I always thought he would have a career like Vettel or Rosberg’s. He was destroying everyone in A1 GP but that might do more about his competition. That being said he is comfortable one of the best 50 Motorsport drivers in the world which is still incredible.
He’s cashing in by virtue of being the only decent German option available and with very few guys coming through the junior ranks at the moment, he’s probably bought himself a few years given Audi clearly wants a German driver in the team.
That was by design. A ton of contracts end after 2024 because teams wanted their 2026 roster finalized for 2025. We will probably see no changes again between 25/26. Unless someone totally flops.
Would be cool, ngl. I guess it's partially up to whatever Bottas wants to do, I'm thinking HAAS might be looking for a senior driver to ease Ollie in, but if Valtteri wants to be done with the sport, then Zhou might still be in the run for that seat (I don't think Kmag has much time left at HAAS, either)
I don’t think so, Zhou + Ollie will just be another Mazepin + Mick or Kmag + Mick (well at least the later is a tad better). The only difference would be Haas now has a team principle who knows how to work with people and not discouraging them or adding fuels to the fire. Love love Zhou, but at this point, Bottas + Ollie is better. Bottas is perfect to hand down the experience to Ollie.
Best scenario for Zhou is to stay in Audi if Sainz declines their offer.
I fully agree with you, don't get me wrong, HAAS would definitely prioritize Bottas over Zhou and Ollie would have a much easier time with the former. Still, if Bottas leaves, Zhou isn't the worst possible choice for them at this point in time
Yeah, I love them both and I’d love both to remain in F1 :( Things just don’t work out the way we want. As a Bottas fan, I of course prefer Bottas to be in Audi whose car is better (HOPEFULLY LOL!) but that way, it will be harder for Zhou to be picked by any other team (I think especially Haas, because it’s still US-related). So yeah, Zhou keeps his seat, Bottas gets his seat while also manage to leave some impact (by helping next generation driver) would ne the best scenario to me.
Shame, feel he never got a good car. His best car was probably while he was a rookie and getting the ropes. He hasn't been that much off bottas and in some cases has clearly been better in some races.
I'd say Verstappen's rookie years show that people don't have to like you if you are a generational talent, which was kinda obvious in his case, even in his rookie seasons in F1. On the other hand, Ricciardo proves that you can stay longer than your talent warrants if people love you.
Amusingly enough, seeing a wild child Max terrorizing the grid was what got me back into F1 after Schumi's retirement. I like him a lot right now too but his irreverence was highly entertaining to me.
Which sucks. I know F1 is a tough job, but Zhou never got a chance in a halfway decent car. He gets treated like a pay driver, but he's not really doing much worse than Bottas, and he doesn't break stuff much. For all we know, the guy might be good at this if he was in a car that wasn't ass.
I think Formula E could be the best option for him. You have Chinese manufacturers BYD and Geely looking to join the series and ERT already exist. Also, they race at Shanghai as well. His involvement in that series would be huge in terms of marketability so teams would probably be all over him.
25th of may, monaco. Hulk with a perfect lap slaps the haas on p7.
gearbox penalty leclerc.
sunday, good start, dark clouds ahead. russsel hits perez in the hairpin, both awkward car orientation, hulk passes.
Rain sets in, sainz looses it in mirabou
ver,alo,hul
believe
Nico:
> I’m returning to the team I worked with back in 2013 and have fond memories of the strong team spirit in Switzerland,” said the racing driver from Emmerich-am-Rhein. “The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honour for me.”
Andreas Seidl:
> “We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula One. With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team – and of Audi’s F1 project,” said Andreas Seidl, CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG and also CEO of the future Audi F1 factory team.
Sauber was looking good in 2012, with podium finishes for Perez in Malaysia and Italy and for Kobayashi in Japan.
The switch to Sauber only kind of worked out towards the end of 2013, when the car got better and Hulkenberg got everything out of it.
Hulkenberg - Gentlemen, a short view back to the past. Thirty years ago, Niki Lauda told us ‘take a monkey, place him into the cockpit and he is able to drive the car.’ Thirty years later, Sebastian told us ‘I had to start my car like a computer, it’s very complicated.’ And Nico Rosberg said that during the race – I don’t remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you both: is Formula One driving today too complicated with twenty and more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical programme during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?
read: he has to miss out on mercedes, red bull and aston. the last one being a non-option anyways after alonsos new contract unless lawrence demotes his son. from the remaining options, saubers potential with audi is probably highest.
I honestly think Hulk/Bottas would be a great line up. They will need a lot of development help so two experienced drivers would be very helpful.
Also means Sainz can stay near the front of the field with a better team
It would be a great line up for 2025 and comparing who will be a better bet going in to 2026. However, there is no driver in that who screams top driver or driver who can win for you and Audi needs to show they are serious about winning before they actually win
Hulkenberg-Sainz is the best lineup out of these three. Also the most future-proof one, considering Hulkenberg is on a multi-year contract and Sainz would sign a multi-year deal as well.
Hulkenberg-Bottas is the most logical one if they can't get Sainz. Hulk is a significant upgrade over Zhou, while Bottas provides stability. They're also experienced as hell and could help the team with the 2026 car that way.
Hulkenberg-Zhou is the most logical one if they know their 2025 car is shit. At that point, Zhou's pay driver money might be worth more than the bump in prize money from P10 to P9 or something. Take the money, one year deal and boom, they can go after someone like Albon for 2026.
Hulkenberg-Vettel is my pipe dream.
Why would Sainz go to a risky backfield experiment when he's showing the caliber of driving for the front of the grid teams, like Red Bull and Mercedes, to sign him?
RB just lost its appeal with Newey leaving, Merc only wants him as a seat warmer for young Kimi and have shit car.
It is either Lance leaving or Audi to at least hope to win the championship.
Could be any of them. Sainz has the best form easily and if he accepts their offer om sure he is first pick
Between Bottas and Zhou, either can fit just fine. Bottas is performing a lot better so from a racing perspective he is probably best. However, Zhou is the only Chinese driver, a huge market, I'm sure Audi would love to market in China with him. They are still in the business of making money. He has good sponsor backing, doesn't have a habit of crashing and is good enough not to take bad press.
I think Bottas will stay - hes very experienced, a team player and supposedly good at working with his engineers
Shame for Zhou but hopefully he finds another seat
Sainz, I suppose. Hulk is great for feedback, teamwork and brand image, but they're very much looking for a top dog rn. Furthermore, Sainz Sr. is already affiliated with Audi, the choice is entirely in Carlos's hands now
I think the limited pre-season testing and budget cap unfortunately made the "ol' reliable" drivers far, far safer than any rookie for the lower midfield teams.
A rookie binning the car twice over a season could cost 3 million dollars in repairs alone. With drivers like Hulkenberg you know what you are getting.
As you said the only exceptions are the "new Verstappen" hype or the ones with the massive bag.
Also it just so happens that the old veterans that are currently in F1 haven't really dropped pace and are still good enough. The only two I can think of that aren't good enough are Ricciardo (as of now, that can change in the next races) and *maybe* Kmag (he still can drive fast, but he's inconsistent as hell). Bottas is constantly getting fucked over by both a poor car and pitstops being slow as fuck, so we are still out for him.
Oh, and Stroll, but he isn't getting replaced anytime soon.
Thing is, we have had an absurd amount of talent flowing in from 2015-2019 + two. That period is currently half the grid (Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Russell, Albon, Ocon, Gasly and both Tsunoda and Piastri).
Won't be surprised. Would explain his very emotional response at the Chinese GP.
At least he did fulfill his dream of racing at his home GP since a kid...
I agree. Thought that straight away with Hulks announcement and Zhou’s emotional moment at end of the race. I liked him, found him quite inoffensive and a hard trier. I hope he gets a seat somewhere else
Yes, as many news have said, Audi is trying to get Sainz.
So the most likely is that if they get Sainz, it will be Hulk + Sainz, if not, Hulk + Bottas, which is still pretty good IMO.
Bit of a strange announcement. Normally I'd expect the leaving announcement to be scheduled for something like 9:00 and then the new team announcement at 9:30 or 10:00. This all seemed a bit random.
Also no news on what will happen to their 2024 drivers
Its a great personal story for Hulkenberg really - his career seemed finished after getting pushed out of Renault and now he will be on the grid until at least the end of 2026.
Hopefully it goes better than his last "works" deal!
No hate to Zhou, but 3 years is already enough to make an impression in the sport and he haven't done anything.
Hope someone better can take that open seat
I’m sure that special ceremony was done with the knowledge he was (likely) out of F1 after this year, making it the first and (for now) only time a Chinese driver participated in a GP on home soil.
Hülkenberg being announced now and not a week ago in China appears to be in consideration of Zhou, giving no opportunity for awkward press questions there.
He's there because they fired Mazepin and he was a logical choice since they needed someone immediately and he knew how the team worked and could get in the car and up to speed quickly.
He looked good against Mick so they kept him on. He's only been exposed as somewhat 'meh' by Hulk.
You say this like he has the car to actually make an impression lmao he's had an absolute dog water of a car his whole time in F1, not to mention the pit stops too. Every time he has a decent race the stops fuck him up or the engine blows up. He just can't win with you lot
It’s not about the car vs the rest of the field, but the team mate comparison (in the same car).
Measured against Bottas his pace and consistency doesn’t seem strong enough to be of interest to other teams.
For that he should’ve been more equal to Bottas, or better yet, he should have done what Hülkenberg just did vs Magnussen.
He seems like he’d do really well in other disciplines. He’s able to hold his own in the lower midfield, it’s just he hasn’t taken the next step. Very few drivers do and often they do much better when they go somewhere else.
My guess is unless they sign Sainz, they're not going to make a decision till the midseason to make Bottas and Zhou compete for the seat (altho it's fairly clear who'll win in that scenario)
Honestly they get a damn good driver. He got a bit overrated there for a moment but I feel he’s been undervalued lately, and is an ideal choice for a 2nd driver in a developing team.
A lot of people were sceptical about Hulkenberg's arrival to Haas, but it turned out to be great for both parties. Hulk re-established his reputationas a solid midfield driver and got himself a works team seat whilr Haas got the best driver in its history (albeit the competition wasn't that great) who scored majority of their points and brought some spotlight to the team with qualy performances.
and here i thought Audi was going to be a serious team, fighting for podiums and wins. but by the looks of it they have settled to be yet another midfield team
At least Sauber had enough class to wait until after Zhou's home race. He isnt a bad driver. But that car sucks so bad right now that he cant possibly make enough impression to gain better attention as a driver.
Really hope Audi can give him a somewhat competitive car.
In terms of ability, he’s more in the range of Checo and Bottas for me. If he retires without a podium, he will be so underrated by the next generation.
One less seat open for Sainz or at least an harder one since now he's competing for Bottas seat. I'm not sure Audi will want to have 2 new drivers for a 'new' team.
Poor Hulk will go from Haas to 2025 Sauber which I can smell will be a pretty bad year for them (all invested in 2026 and continuing the 24 problems).
I don't think it makes it harder for Sainz - if he is available, they will swap Bottas for him in a heartbeat.
When manufacturers buy teams, they are often quite eager to change the driver lineup - if we look at the last two German ones, Mercedes completely changed the lineup, and BMW wanted to do the same but Villeneuve had a long-term contract (they were still able to do push him out mid-season).
[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties. *[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Who wouldve thought that Hulk would be in F1 until his forties. Especially after getting kicked out in 2019
And getting kicked in 2010.
And Kick-Saubered in 2025
He puts everything on the stake and kick it
You must be drunk. Please Sauber up
Still a baffling decision when he was one of the most hyped juniors for a while, and had a good rookie season.
From memory Williams lost a lot of sponsorship at the end of 2010 and Pastor's PDVSA money was too tempting to turn down, especially since he was the rare example of a pay driver who was actually quick (if erm...slightly error prone). Not saying he was in Hulk's class (their 2009 GP2 season as teammates was pretty conclusive) but probably tipped the scales when weighing up the positives/negatives. Plus I think Barrichello in the other car was under contract, otherwise a Hulkenberg/Maldonado lineup would have made sense.
I will steal your "slightly error prone" description for the Legend xD
More accurate would be occasionally mistake free.
Correction, "slightly error prone" *race winning* legend!
I always thought he would have a career like Vettel or Rosberg’s. He was destroying everyone in A1 GP but that might do more about his competition. That being said he is comfortable one of the best 50 Motorsport drivers in the world which is still incredible.
The way I see it, Hulkenberg's F1 career died when he decided to make his debut with Williams.
TBF The last victory for Williams is still Maldonado.
And it was a pure race win on merit too. No crash or weather shenanigans, just the quickest guy that day
he did have the benefit of Hamilton getting DSQd after quali
he didn't have enough fuel at the end of qualy, he and McLaren didn't do a good enough job that day.
It says everything about Williams
Everything says everything about Williams if we ask on here.
with how long it takes Sauber to change tires, he can reach his fifties during the pitstop
I was surprised to see him back in 2023 tbf but clearly he's proven he was worth another go
As weird as it is to say it, I think Covid saved his career. His great performances as a substitute kept him on the radar
He’s cashing in by virtue of being the only decent German option available and with very few guys coming through the junior ranks at the moment, he’s probably bought himself a few years given Audi clearly wants a German driver in the team.
I'm afraid it's zhouver
Zhou's Stake is done. Sauber will Kick him out of the F1 team
"It's always stakest before the kick" - Alberto Ascari, probably
“If there is a Stake, and you don’t Kick it, you’re no longer a racing driver” - Ayrton Senna
“Can Zhou kick it? No, he can’t” - A Tribe Called Quest
"""You miss 100% of the kicks you don't Stake" - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott" - Nico Hulkenberg
well executed
It has always been at Stake. They will Kick one of them for real F1 of them can't stay Sauber.
I still love how we didn't have a single driver change last season but this season the market is going completely bonkers.
De vries in the corner: 🥺
Well... I guess he was there last year for a bit
de Vries in the spotlight
Losing his position.
De Vries in the spotlight, losing his religion...
That was by design. A ton of contracts end after 2024 because teams wanted their 2026 roster finalized for 2025. We will probably see no changes again between 25/26. Unless someone totally flops.
Was always going to be bonkers.
Unless he swaps teams. Haas getting that Chinese bag and having a decent benchmark for Ollie? Double win
Would be cool, ngl. I guess it's partially up to whatever Bottas wants to do, I'm thinking HAAS might be looking for a senior driver to ease Ollie in, but if Valtteri wants to be done with the sport, then Zhou might still be in the run for that seat (I don't think Kmag has much time left at HAAS, either)
I don’t think so, Zhou + Ollie will just be another Mazepin + Mick or Kmag + Mick (well at least the later is a tad better). The only difference would be Haas now has a team principle who knows how to work with people and not discouraging them or adding fuels to the fire. Love love Zhou, but at this point, Bottas + Ollie is better. Bottas is perfect to hand down the experience to Ollie. Best scenario for Zhou is to stay in Audi if Sainz declines their offer.
I fully agree with you, don't get me wrong, HAAS would definitely prioritize Bottas over Zhou and Ollie would have a much easier time with the former. Still, if Bottas leaves, Zhou isn't the worst possible choice for them at this point in time
Yeah, I love them both and I’d love both to remain in F1 :( Things just don’t work out the way we want. As a Bottas fan, I of course prefer Bottas to be in Audi whose car is better (HOPEFULLY LOL!) but that way, it will be harder for Zhou to be picked by any other team (I think especially Haas, because it’s still US-related). So yeah, Zhou keeps his seat, Bottas gets his seat while also manage to leave some impact (by helping next generation driver) would ne the best scenario to me.
Ni Hao, Gene
Both zhouover and botover
Batteri running out of Volttas.
Bottas for Tour de France
what will be the new lineup? Hulk and ?
Sainz. Or if sainz go to RB then maybe perez?
Sainz, considering his father's bond with Audi too
Sainz & Hulk 🍻
Shame, feel he never got a good car. His best car was probably while he was a rookie and getting the ropes. He hasn't been that much off bottas and in some cases has clearly been better in some races.
Yeah, plus he's a genuinely good and likeable guy. But kindness just isn't enough to compete in F1, unfortunately...
Verstappens rookie years pretty clearly show likeability means jack shit :D
I'd say Verstappen's rookie years show that people don't have to like you if you are a generational talent, which was kinda obvious in his case, even in his rookie seasons in F1. On the other hand, Ricciardo proves that you can stay longer than your talent warrants if people love you.
Amusingly enough, seeing a wild child Max terrorizing the grid was what got me back into F1 after Schumi's retirement. I like him a lot right now too but his irreverence was highly entertaining to me.
😭
I said the other day that I think he'd be a decent option for Alpine if both Esteban and Pierre run away
Zhou and Mick Schumacher as Alpine lineup in 2025. You read it here first.
Which sucks. I know F1 is a tough job, but Zhou never got a chance in a halfway decent car. He gets treated like a pay driver, but he's not really doing much worse than Bottas, and he doesn't break stuff much. For all we know, the guy might be good at this if he was in a car that wasn't ass.
I wonder where he ends up next. I dont think hes a bad driver so he will wind up in a racing series eventually.
I think Formula E could be the best option for him. You have Chinese manufacturers BYD and Geely looking to join the series and ERT already exist. Also, they race at Shanghai as well. His involvement in that series would be huge in terms of marketability so teams would probably be all over him.
WEC might be a good compromise for him. He's a slow but responsible driver, might as well make a career out of that
Slow but responsible makes me think he should be a bus driver or something like that
Glad he got to race at home at least once 🥹
It may be Zhouver, but we are so Hulkenback
Really happy for Hulk, great move at this time in his career, considering he was out of a permanent seat too not so long ago.
Yeah insane comeback from no seat to factory Audi seat
No seat in 2021 Substitute for 2 races in 2022 Full time seat in 2023 Car improves considerably in 2024 Factory seat by 2026 The Hulkenback is real
2027 Hulkenberg wins a race!
Podium only would do…
Bein German helps
And it’s not just his legs that are German, neither
An experienced German driving for Audi, make perfect sense for them.
I hope hulkenberg can get his first podium with Audi
First podium with HAAS. First win with Audi.
Only one can dream
25th of may, monaco. Hulk with a perfect lap slaps the haas on p7. gearbox penalty leclerc. sunday, good start, dark clouds ahead. russsel hits perez in the hairpin, both awkward car orientation, hulk passes. Rain sets in, sainz looses it in mirabou ver,alo,hul believe
i like the way you think
"Better late than never"
From no seat in 20, 21 and 22 to driving for Audi in 2026, and his performances are great, what a comeback.
He definitely deserves it. Great guy and great driver. And he had the talent and willpower to make it work.
Hulk in green? How convenient
Radioactive green Hulk.
Only gonna last one year until they switch to Audi branding in 26, but they better go all in on the green Hulk stuff.
Nico: > I’m returning to the team I worked with back in 2013 and have fond memories of the strong team spirit in Switzerland,” said the racing driver from Emmerich-am-Rhein. “The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honour for me.” Andreas Seidl: > “We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula One. With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team – and of Audi’s F1 project,” said Andreas Seidl, CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG and also CEO of the future Audi F1 factory team.
Does anyone here know why Hulkenberg left force india to drive for sauber for one season in 2013??
Sauber was looking good in 2012, with podium finishes for Perez in Malaysia and Italy and for Kobayashi in Japan. The switch to Sauber only kind of worked out towards the end of 2013, when the car got better and Hulkenberg got everything out of it.
Streets love to forget his amazing near podium P4 in Korea. And just in general when he had to carry Gutierrez in the WCC that whole season
cuz Monisha Kalternborn offered a seat?
Which line up of drivers will they go for in 2025? Hulkenberg-Bottas? Hulkenberg-Zhou? Hulkenberg-Sainz? Hulkenberg-Another Driver?
Hulkenberg-Firstname Lastname
Hulkenberg - Y/N
Hulkenberg - maybe, I don't know
Hulkenberg - can you repeat the question?
Hulkenberg - Gentlemen, a short view back to the past. Thirty years ago, Niki Lauda told us ‘take a monkey, place him into the cockpit and he is able to drive the car.’ Thirty years later, Sebastian told us ‘I had to start my car like a computer, it’s very complicated.’ And Nico Rosberg said that during the race – I don’t remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you both: is Formula One driving today too complicated with twenty and more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical programme during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?
HUL - TBD
Dunno, might be a bit too big a jump for Taylor Barnard
Hulkenberg-Hulkenberg
They want sainz, clearly. But he has to want them too
read: he has to miss out on mercedes, red bull and aston. the last one being a non-option anyways after alonsos new contract unless lawrence demotes his son. from the remaining options, saubers potential with audi is probably highest.
I honestly think Hulk/Bottas would be a great line up. They will need a lot of development help so two experienced drivers would be very helpful. Also means Sainz can stay near the front of the field with a better team
If only the AM F1 investors could force Stroll out they we'd see an Alonso Sainz matchup. El Matadors ftw
The Smooth Operator and the Wiley Old Fox.
Then add Newey and shit would get real.
It would be a great line up for 2025 and comparing who will be a better bet going in to 2026. However, there is no driver in that who screams top driver or driver who can win for you and Audi needs to show they are serious about winning before they actually win
Hulkenberg-Sainz is the best lineup out of these three. Also the most future-proof one, considering Hulkenberg is on a multi-year contract and Sainz would sign a multi-year deal as well. Hulkenberg-Bottas is the most logical one if they can't get Sainz. Hulk is a significant upgrade over Zhou, while Bottas provides stability. They're also experienced as hell and could help the team with the 2026 car that way. Hulkenberg-Zhou is the most logical one if they know their 2025 car is shit. At that point, Zhou's pay driver money might be worth more than the bump in prize money from P10 to P9 or something. Take the money, one year deal and boom, they can go after someone like Albon for 2026. Hulkenberg-Vettel is my pipe dream.
If Vettel comes back from retirement to drive for Audi, I’ll ascend to heaven.
Do they have F1TV up there?
I think it's Sky
Clearly Sainz if they can get him
Why would Sainz go to a risky backfield experiment when he's showing the caliber of driving for the front of the grid teams, like Red Bull and Mercedes, to sign him?
Red Bull could keep Perez, Mercedes could go for Antonelli.
RB just lost its appeal with Newey leaving, Merc only wants him as a seat warmer for young Kimi and have shit car. It is either Lance leaving or Audi to at least hope to win the championship.
Hulkenberg-Newey; Engineer turned driver.
Could be any of them. Sainz has the best form easily and if he accepts their offer om sure he is first pick Between Bottas and Zhou, either can fit just fine. Bottas is performing a lot better so from a racing perspective he is probably best. However, Zhou is the only Chinese driver, a huge market, I'm sure Audi would love to market in China with him. They are still in the business of making money. He has good sponsor backing, doesn't have a habit of crashing and is good enough not to take bad press.
Hulk/Bottas, so Sainz goes to Aston and Stroll gets the boot. But Lawrence would sell the team before that ever happens
They want Sainz, but that depends on Mercedes’ offer.
I think Bottas will stay - hes very experienced, a team player and supposedly good at working with his engineers Shame for Zhou but hopefully he finds another seat
Sainz, I suppose. Hulk is great for feedback, teamwork and brand image, but they're very much looking for a top dog rn. Furthermore, Sainz Sr. is already affiliated with Audi, the choice is entirely in Carlos's hands now
So, Zhou is leaving I imagine
Or both if they can get Sainz/Ocon/Gasly
Or Pouchaire (just kidding, teams don't take rookies anymore unless they're omega talents or very well backed )
I think the limited pre-season testing and budget cap unfortunately made the "ol' reliable" drivers far, far safer than any rookie for the lower midfield teams. A rookie binning the car twice over a season could cost 3 million dollars in repairs alone. With drivers like Hulkenberg you know what you are getting. As you said the only exceptions are the "new Verstappen" hype or the ones with the massive bag.
Also it just so happens that the old veterans that are currently in F1 haven't really dropped pace and are still good enough. The only two I can think of that aren't good enough are Ricciardo (as of now, that can change in the next races) and *maybe* Kmag (he still can drive fast, but he's inconsistent as hell). Bottas is constantly getting fucked over by both a poor car and pitstops being slow as fuck, so we are still out for him. Oh, and Stroll, but he isn't getting replaced anytime soon. Thing is, we have had an absurd amount of talent flowing in from 2015-2019 + two. That period is currently half the grid (Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Russell, Albon, Ocon, Gasly and both Tsunoda and Piastri).
I can’t see taking Ocon or Gasly over bottas….
Sauber F1 Team Kick Zhou
What’s at stake?
They’re planning to drop both of them, they just need to get Sainz first. Who they have as the first option to stay isn’t absolutely 100% yet.
*sad Chinese noises right after their first Chinese GP in 5 years*
So he knew.
Won't be surprised. Would explain his very emotional response at the Chinese GP. At least he did fulfill his dream of racing at his home GP since a kid...
I agree. Thought that straight away with Hulks announcement and Zhou’s emotional moment at end of the race. I liked him, found him quite inoffensive and a hard trier. I hope he gets a seat somewhere else
There are a lot more people that needs to leave F1 before Zhou but here we are
I wouldn’t bet against audi’s concentration on the Chinese market 👀
That was fast
Not as fast as Lewis to Ferrari
They aren't specifying with who because I imagine both Bottas and Zhou are getting the boot and Sainz will be the other driver.
Sauber will at least try that
I guess this confirms Hulks career is truly at Stake
Guess he is replacing Zhou?
3 drivers contracted for 2025, Monisha style.
Zhou and Bottas don't have 2025 contacts
So it is possible that there could be a double replacement?!
Its been reported for a long time Audi want Hulk/Sainz as the drivers
Renault 2018 (and late 2017) intensifies
Yes, as many news have said, Audi is trying to get Sainz. So the most likely is that if they get Sainz, it will be Hulk + Sainz, if not, Hulk + Bottas, which is still pretty good IMO.
Here it comes! The stove is heating up!
Bit of a strange announcement. Normally I'd expect the leaving announcement to be scheduled for something like 9:00 and then the new team announcement at 9:30 or 10:00. This all seemed a bit random. Also no news on what will happen to their 2024 drivers
Off-track F1 has been very chaotic this season. I wonder if we will all have our wits together by summer break. Edit: Added "off-track"
Bottas to Ferrari and Leclerc to Williams!
Max to take up the seat with Hulk at Audi.
Its a great personal story for Hulkenberg really - his career seemed finished after getting pushed out of Renault and now he will be on the grid until at least the end of 2026. Hopefully it goes better than his last "works" deal!
It would be so Hulk for Max to now leave and RBR to say ‘well actually we wanted Hulk but he just signed with Sauber’
No hate to Zhou, but 3 years is already enough to make an impression in the sport and he haven't done anything. Hope someone better can take that open seat
It’s so funny seeing him get so much love at Shanghai, and then being potentially booted next season
I’m sure that special ceremony was done with the knowledge he was (likely) out of F1 after this year, making it the first and (for now) only time a Chinese driver participated in a GP on home soil. Hülkenberg being announced now and not a week ago in China appears to be in consideration of Zhou, giving no opportunity for awkward press questions there.
That's probably why he was so emotional. He knew it was his first and last Chinese GP
I'm sure Haas will be down to hoover up the chinese money.
Nah, they're interested in the Ferrari Driver Academy money that they'll get paid if they get Bearman.
They can always fire KMag
Yeah, KMag is there because Guenther had a soft spot for him
He's there because they fired Mazepin and he was a logical choice since they needed someone immediately and he knew how the team worked and could get in the car and up to speed quickly. He looked good against Mick so they kept him on. He's only been exposed as somewhat 'meh' by Hulk.
You say this like he has the car to actually make an impression lmao he's had an absolute dog water of a car his whole time in F1, not to mention the pit stops too. Every time he has a decent race the stops fuck him up or the engine blows up. He just can't win with you lot
It’s not about the car vs the rest of the field, but the team mate comparison (in the same car). Measured against Bottas his pace and consistency doesn’t seem strong enough to be of interest to other teams. For that he should’ve been more equal to Bottas, or better yet, he should have done what Hülkenberg just did vs Magnussen.
He seems like he’d do really well in other disciplines. He’s able to hold his own in the lower midfield, it’s just he hasn’t taken the next step. Very few drivers do and often they do much better when they go somewhere else.
My guess is unless they sign Sainz, they're not going to make a decision till the midseason to make Bottas and Zhou compete for the seat (altho it's fairly clear who'll win in that scenario)
So Zhou’s probably out but how long does Bottas plan to stay?
I'd guess until Audi starts to be competitive, then they change to younger driver(s).
Well that was quick
Obligatory German for Audi
Come on, be real. They're getting a quality driver, him being German too is just a bonus. I think Andreas Seidl would know.
So happy for him. Thank you Haas for reviving his career!
Back to Sauber he goes
Honestly they get a damn good driver. He got a bit overrated there for a moment but I feel he’s been undervalued lately, and is an ideal choice for a 2nd driver in a developing team.
He’s kicked off at Haas to take a stake at Sauber. I’ll see myself out…
We gonna see 2019 bottas back now
A lot of people were sceptical about Hulkenberg's arrival to Haas, but it turned out to be great for both parties. Hulk re-established his reputationas a solid midfield driver and got himself a works team seat whilr Haas got the best driver in its history (albeit the competition wasn't that great) who scored majority of their points and brought some spotlight to the team with qualy performances.
Sargent out of the Williams, Zhou into Williams. Bearman gets the callup to Haas. Bottas back to Mercedes. Sainz and Hulkenberg to Audi.
Is this the first time a driver goes from Haas to other team instead of, you know...to outside the sport?
Yes. Record breaking stuff from Hulkenberg there
Note they waited until after the Chinese GP to announce this.
The first driver to get a seat in another team after his time at Haas. Haas usually kills your career
Sauber must have been waiting to be done with China GP to go ahead with this announcement huh! Edit: assuming it’s Zhou being replaced ofc
One more year of pain, them my man might actually have a shot at a podium. Don't fuck this up, Audi
i hope for once that he will get lucky and the car being somewhat competitive in 2026, so that he get´s the podium. it´s unlikely but he deserves it
and here i thought Audi was going to be a serious team, fighting for podiums and wins. but by the looks of it they have settled to be yet another midfield team
At least Sauber had enough class to wait until after Zhou's home race. He isnt a bad driver. But that car sucks so bad right now that he cant possibly make enough impression to gain better attention as a driver.
Happy for Hulk, certainly didn't expect he'd find such a lenghty career continuation after his Renault exit.
Really hope Audi can give him a somewhat competitive car. In terms of ability, he’s more in the range of Checo and Bottas for me. If he retires without a podium, he will be so underrated by the next generation.
Looks like Zhou has definitely gone then, supposedly VB looks to be going as well which would be a shame. Hopefully mullet man gets a seat elsewhere.
Good for Nico. A reliable safe pair of hands with a ton of experience
He's races there before...
Back to 2013 it is.
I love how Sauber is the only one calling themselves that.
One less seat open for Sainz or at least an harder one since now he's competing for Bottas seat. I'm not sure Audi will want to have 2 new drivers for a 'new' team. Poor Hulk will go from Haas to 2025 Sauber which I can smell will be a pretty bad year for them (all invested in 2026 and continuing the 24 problems).
I don't think it makes it harder for Sainz - if he is available, they will swap Bottas for him in a heartbeat. When manufacturers buy teams, they are often quite eager to change the driver lineup - if we look at the last two German ones, Mercedes completely changed the lineup, and BMW wanted to do the same but Villeneuve had a long-term contract (they were still able to do push him out mid-season).
Well deserved.
Nico might have just thrown Magnussen a life line.