End of the cycle for Nico Hülkenberg. The driver will leave Haas at the end of this Formula 1 season, moving to Sauber in 2025 where he will be one of the Audi drivers when the German manufacturer enters the following year.
Currently 36 years old, the German arrived at Haas in 2023, marking his full-time return to the top category after being a reserve driver for Racing Point and Aston Martin between 2020 and 2021 – a period in which he made five appearances as a substitute driver.
This won’t be the first time Hülkenberg represents Sauber, as he raced for them in the 2013 season, finishing tenth in the championship. Now, he will be involved in the development of Audi’s first car, competing for the four-ring manufacturer from 2026. It’s worth noting that Audi acquired Sauber in full to enter F1 as a factory team.
With Hülkenberg’s confirmation, it’s certain that at least one of Sauber’s current drivers will leave at the end of the season. Guanyu Zhou seems to be the weakest link, consistently beaten by Valtteri Bottas since his F1 debut in 2022. However, the Finnish driver could also be at risk, as there are speculations that Carlos Sainz is another target for Audi.
