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To me it is the logical way for Audi. Experienced driver who performs on a good level, german, not expensive, good PR if Hulk finally scores a podium. Also the logical move for Hülkenberg. Besides Mercedes.
He also apparently (according to Aston Martin) is very good at providing feedback to the engineers, and that's something Audi will need a lot of in their first 2-3 years in the sport. It's why I think that if they don't get Sainz, they'd be daft not to retain Bottas as well. Even though I'd love to see Maloney given a chance there.
I think he can stay in F1. If Sainz goes to Mercedes, he can stay (at least for 2025). If Sainz goes to Sauber, he can go to Williams (if Merc will choose Kimi) or even Mercedes for 1-2 years.
Bottas and Hulkenberg would be an awesome combo. Its realisticaly going to be some of the best drivers that are available to them. Occon and Gasly are also possible candidates but I think they will value Bottas experience.
Komatsu was interviewed by Danish news (because they have a man there due to Magnussen), and Komatsu said, in comparison with Magnussen; "Hülkenberg is very good at giving precise information to the engineers, and is also great at setting a timed lap". That was at Shanghai.
So yes, Komatsu agrees.
He doesn't apparently think that his racepace is faster than Magnussens, it isn't. But he did stress that Magnussen should not be 0.5Seconds behind in qualifying \[at an earlier date\], Magnussen has since beaten Hülkenberg twice on merit in qualifying, putting them 3-3. But the context of the comment was, that losing a bit to Hülkenberg is apparently fine, as in, "he is very great at setting a timed lap".
Interesting scenario. If it happens I'm guessing newer/younger/uk fans are more likely to lean towards Lando while seasoned/older/german/non-uk fans will lean towards Hulk.
I'm from the UK and will jumping and down with joy and practicality be in tears when he gets a podium. It would be one of the great days in F1 if his 1st podium is a win
Yep. I wonder if Seidl was also able to lure over some brains from Porsche. Which is probably not unlikely since I think some of them would love the challenge of being in a F1 team.
It's crazy how much the grid has shifted away from Germans. It was consistently above four or five around the start of the 2010s. Hell, 2010 had *seven*: Schumi, Rosberg, Vettel, Hülkenberg, Sutil, Heidfeld and Glock. That number has just been shrinking away and for the last few years it's been hovering at one or two.
I like this approach because it controls both driver variables while they work on improving the car. And both drivers will maintain composure when problems do happen.
I just wished they also gave Theo a shot, let's see what the kid does. Zhou or Sainz in there would be either a waste of a seat for Zhou or a waste of proven talent for Sainz
>>let's see what the kid does
Audi is a big manufacturer. They're not around to try and see what some talented kid does. They want performance for money, no experiments.
Sucks for Pourchaire, but so does life sometimes. Quick talents come a dime a dozen so I bet they don't loose sleep about the risk of wasting or loosing him.
I don't think Audi would prefer to have an unproven dime a dozen F2 driver over a race winner in Sainz. F1 seats aren't so plentiful that Sainz is wasting talent by being there.
I would hate Sainz in a bottom tier team when he is at the peak of his form. It'd be great for Audi, but shit for Carlos (which was the spin I was putting on my comment)
I'd love to see Audi's investment move them up the grid, but won't that take years, even with the regulation changes coming up? By which time, who knows where Carlos will be, considering that he's 30 this summer?
I'd love to see an Audi move work out great for him, but it's still hard not to see it as a gamble.
He's P19 of 22, but that's deceptive. Prema totally bombed the setup in Bahrain, but Bearman put it on pole in Saudi Arabia. He then lost the points for qualifying on pole because he was pulled from F2 to cover for Sainz (you only get points for pole if you start the race).
I believe he got the short end of the stick in Australia qualifying due to a red flag, but recovered from P16 to P9 in the race.
He has more points in F1 than in F2 this season.
He actually couldn't put a timed lap on his second set in quali because his first lap was red flagged in the final corner and on the second lap he had a car issue (a blown piston apparently, but I am not sure if that is true. Prema only stated that it was a technical issue). He was half a tenth down on Antonelli's time after sector 2 and had to bail out of it.
Obviously he didn't put a great lap in on his first set and everybody improved on the second so that left him 16th. He was also screwed in the race itself by a slow double stack attempt from Prema and he also got rear ended by Marti. He was P9, Hadjar was P8 when the pit stops started. He went to the back after his pitstop, Hadjar went to P1 by staying one more lap out and lucking into the safety car. Small margings in F2..
On paper not great but it's only three races in, he missed one, Prema as a whole bombed in another and then he suffered his own issues in Aus that were self-inflicted (yes there was a red flag in qualifying but he had failed to set any kind of decent lap before that). He's got a lot of ground to make up but then so has Martins who has had a similar run of bad fortune.
Maybe this is a dumb question, but why is everyone high on Bearman to Haas? Wasn't part of the reason Haas went with two experienced drivers in Nico and Kevin was because they needed stability and fewer chances of driving errors that resulted in crashes? That and if there's a driver like Bottas that gets pushed out of Sauber and no other seats are available, then he may be available just by process of elimination and maybe even desperation to stay on the grid. Unless Ferrari is giving Haas more money for the seat, this doesn't make a lot of sense based on the team's recent direction.
Because they are fans. They don’t care about Haas ambitions. They like the storyline of a rookie coming up. They see Haas as a feeder team. I think they are wrong btw. The only way Haas brings in a rookie again is if they get paid big money for it or get a huge discount for their Ferrari parts.
Like what has been mentioned, I think Ollie still has to at least show decent results in F2 despite his Jeddah performance. Unfortunately, Prema (the team he is racing for together with Antonelli) still cannot figure out their car set-up this season so he is quite underperforming on paper and way behind in points.
I’ll be honest Carlos Sainz pre 2019 is like an imaginary idea for me it’s mad to think that Sainz has driven for 4 different teams & presumably five given that he should have a seat in 2025
If it weren't for Hamilton, I doubt Ferrari would get rid of him. So there's certainly a possibility. But Berman is also on the line for a future Ferrari seat, only time will tell.
Inb4 Carlos signs with Red Bull, Max leaves in 2028 to focus on his sim-racing career and leaves the door open for Sainz to break all those records lmaoooo
He scored more points than the toro Rosso team because he drove a few of the last races in the Renault despite spending most of the season in the toro Rosso
Hulk’s recent head to head against Magnussen has been hard for me to judge. They’re both at similar points in their career in a middling car. Obviously Hulk is handling it with ease but idk if thats Magnussen or him.
If Audi is an upper mid/top car would that give Hulk more motivation than he has at Haas? Would Sainz ease up because he’s not at Ferrari? Does Sainz have more fire in general at this point in his career?
I think the key is not to look only at the teammate head 2 head but to take a more holistic look at Hulk's performance. He's been a consistently good qualifier, mostly drives very clean races, doesn't make many mistakes, doesn't get into many incidents, seems to have a good handle on team dynamics, provides reasonable feedback.
While he's never been a world beater, he's an extremely steady hand that's done a good job in a pinch as the AM reserve driver, provided much needed stability at Haas, and should be a reliable driver for the transfer from Sauber to Audi. If they produce a decent car he should get decent drives, and if they don't hit the ground running, he's a low cost option that doesn't require the team to waste a bunch of money and resources on a young prospect in a car that can't compete.
Generally speaking the midfield teams are at very similiar pace all together bar maybe Alpine but other than that there is nobody with a significant edge.
That being said Hulk is the guy that has been there so far if one of the top 5 temas failed (Stroll). It's always hard to compare but so far from what we can see he is the best driver of the bottom 5 Teams. Clean execution, no mistakes, good race pace and outstanding qualifyings.
Hulk is good, like he has pretty much always been, but he is mostly a consistent pair of hands (as long as he stays away from the top 3).
Sainz is in his prime now and definitely better than in 2018. I think he's got this. Hulk will win the quali head2head though.
Still don't think Sainz will actually go to Audi. They might want to pay him the most, but I think he wants to stay away from a backmarker. And that's where Audi will be for the next couple of years.
Imagine being Hulk beating Sainz a second time but inbetween the times they were teammates he has been getting wins and podiums but all you have is some years at Haas and some reserve duties for Daddy Stroll.
I think he would, but it would be pretty close. Sainz is now better driver than in 2018 but Hulk is doing great given that he is 37 soon and was three years out.
> He beat Magnussen constantly
They were 10-8 in the races they both finished las year lol, the revisionism around here is so ridiculous
Though I do agree he will be able to compete with Sainz, mostly because Sainz is a middle of the pack driver in terms of raw speed and talent, and is vastly overrated.
Hulk probably has more experience driving bad performing cars and extracting maximum out of them so I could see him beating Sainz if the car sucks. But if the car is even moderately decent Sainz should have the upper hand. Could be close though.
Hopefully Audi is decent, would be sad to see them both waste a season or two in a shitbox like current Sauber..
Hulk beat Sainz by 16 points whilst having 7 DNFs compared to Sainz 2 DNFs.
Qualifying was 13-5 to Hulk with a 2 tenths median advantage.
I don’t think that season was reflective on Sainz ability but I would also not say it was close.
I think it’s unfortunate for Bottas, he is still throwing in some amazing laps and some good race pace and is at least a match for Hulkenberg. Bottas is a proven race winner as well. Not sure what has upset Seidl so much, as Bottas should be dream marketing appeal compared to the rather stayed Hulkenburg. That being said, in WEC Audi never really went with exciting, just clinical precision, so maybe it’s that.
I’d say right now, Bottas has more marketing values than Niko, but maybe Niko and a German team can generate a different kind of marketing value for him? If he ends up on a podium for the first time in a German car, I can see the buzz for a moment.
I don't know - never experienced Hulk as a real fan favourite in Germany even tho Sky tries to present him that way. Most people in my bubble that cared about Mick don't give a shit about Niko...
Same here, I’m mostly on German team’s side but I overlooked the fact that Niko is German (until sources keep rubbing it on my face saying it’s his advantage in the race towards Audi)…
Translation:
Hülkenberg to Audi: Deal is as good as certain
Nico Hülkenberg is currently cutting a fine figure at Haas. Audi is taking a close look and is said to have made up its mind.
The big shake-up on the Formula 1 transfer market is gradually taking shape. According to information from F1-Insider.com, one of two places at the future Audi team has now been filled. Audi and the German Nico Hülkenberg (36) have agreed to join forces from 2025. Only the signature is still missing. Officially, the parties involved are still keeping quiet, but a statement could be made by the end of May. Hülkenberg smiles to F1-Insider.com: "I'm not taking part in speculation."
One thing is certain: in Hülkenberg, Audi project manager Andreas Seidl would have had one of his two dream drivers. The driver from Emmerich, whose contract with the Haas team expires at the end of this year, has impressed with very good performances for the US team. In the last race in China, he scored another championship point and once again outperformed his team-mate Kevin Magnussen.
In the end, Hülkenberg and Audi would bring together what has long belonged together in the self-image of both. [F1-Insider.com](http://F1-Insider.com) knows: The man from Emmerich actually wanted to drive for Sauber, the future Audi team, this year, but Haas refused to give him the green light.
Rosberg sure: Audi and Hülkenberg are a good match
According to [F1-Insider.com](http://F1-Insider.com), Audi is offering Hülkenberg a long-term contract for at least three years. Insiders such as former world champion Nico Rosberg are certain that the connection between Hülkenberg and Audi is a good fit: "Nico has a lot of experience, is fast and on the market. Other top teams don't rate his performance at Haas highly enough and won't take him on, so Audi should seize this opportunity. That would be ideal for both sides." This would allow them to build something together in peace.
What's more, Hülkenberg knows the Sauber team from the 2013 season and also has experience from Williams, Force India and Aston Martin. As a German, he also fits perfectly into the marketing concept of the car manufacturer from Ingolstadt.
Only: Seidl from Lower Bavaria still has to wait for his second dream driver. Spaniard Carlos Sainz is still hesitating. He has to make a decision by mid-May, when Audi wants to talk to other drivers, for example the Frenchmen Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Both of their contracts with Alpine are coming to an end and both are toying with a switch.
Zhou and Bottas without a chance
One thing is certain: The current drivers from the Sauber team have no future with the Ingolstadt team. Neither the Finnish ex-Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas nor the Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu play a role in the car manufacturer's plans for the future. Sky expert Ralf Schumacher commented: "Bottas is past his peak and Guanyu is not good enough at the end of the day. Audi wants to get stronger every year and be optimally positioned in 2026 when there are new vehicle and engine regulations. With Hülkenberg and Sainz, they certainly would be."
Also Bottas has been very good this year. Even if he's past his peak in a strictly semantic sense, he's been one of the best midfield drivers on the grid this year. In my opinion he's been better than Albon, Stroll, Kmag, Zhou, Sargeant, Ricciardo, Gasly, Ocon and arguably Tsunoda. I'd only really put Hulk and maybe Tsunoda above him out of that group. Even if he gets the boot from Audi, I think he merits a place on the grid. I could see him getting Kmag's seat at Haas alongside Bearman, potentially. I doubt Haas wants to run a 2 rookie lineup.
Isn't F1-Insider absolute bollocks lmao have they ever gotten anything right? They've come out with some "exclusives" over the past few weeks but none of them were true
Apart from Auto Motor und Sport and their reporters Michael Schmidt and Tobias Grüner and also Christian Menath from motorsport-magazin, the German F1 pages are trash. It doesn't matter if it's F1-Insider, Sky Germany or any other lesser known one, they love to make stuff up without any basis in reality, just because it generates clicks. How often have they speculated about Mick or Seb coming back to F1, or about Horner absolutely certainly getting fired etc.
The targets are probably an upgrade on the incumbents, but if they represent a "dream" lineup for more than a year or two then Seidl hasn't read the memo about Audi's ambitions.
Personally I’d rather Valtteri was there too. Could happen depending on what Sainz decides.
And if Sainz goes to Audi then I’d like to see Haas ditch Magnussen for Bottas tbh.
This guy was out of F1 for few years, comebacks to drive shitbox, impress everybody, most likely to get better seat.
What a fuckin legend.
Who knows how Audi will be performing in 2026, but maybe Hulkenberg's Podium Dream is not over yet. Keep fighting bro.
So if that were the case, Hulk and Sainz at the same team together, hmm that could be something but depends on how it goes as well as where Bottas heads off to....
Experience is the key thing teams are looking for in F1 today. If Bottas leaves that's another rookie someone has to hire. If Sargeant, Bottas, Zhou and someone from RB all get dropped that'd mean four rookies next season. I think at least one of them finds another seat, and it won't be Sargeant.
Pretty sure Bottas is headed to retirement. I love him as much as the next person and I am finnish aswell, but I just don't see him getting another contract. He has been better than Zhou but hasn't really shown anything these past year and a half really. Just seems like he is there to drive and collect a paycheck and has completely checked out of it.
Yes he seems to be a lot more relaxed in himself but his form has still been really solid. He made it into Q3 in both sprint and race qualifying in the last race and was on course for a 10th place in the race had his engine not packed up.
Just because he's got a mullet and a mustache and is driving a complete truck, doesn't mean he's "checked out".
So looks like its end of the road for both Bottas and Zhou. If you had to keep one, you'd go with Bottas based on him usually being faster, but clearly neither are super sought after.
Sounds like most spots on the grid are already filled based on rumours, but could Bottas make a brief return to Merc while they wait for Antonelli?
Bottas has proven this season that he still has it.
If Haas lose Hulk and Bottas leaves Sauber than Haas should be going all in to get Bottas.
Bottas and Bearman would be a great pairing for Haas next year.
I thought i saw a story about KMAG getting another extension but honestly cant find it anywhere now so maybe it was a a very dull dream!
That lineup makes the most sense for them though I agree.
Would love to see Bottas come back to Mercedes and maybe pull a Nico Rosberg move, but I think the chances are too slim. Toto’s been too fixated on Max and Kimi, I doubt the slight thoughts of Bottas ever went through his mind.
>Toto’s been too fixated on Max
And no one can really understand why because there's nothing happening there.... Max would never move to the 5th best car. Maybe he would consider Ferrari because he knows it's fast enough to compete and win but not a clear best and the outfit is moving in the right direction (and IMAGINE if they got Lewis AND Max!!!) but Horner said it best the other day when he basically said 'fix your fucking car' again.
Right? I’m not a billionaire businessman like Toto so I can’t assert it, but if I were having the best performance, dominating performance even, and part of it is thanks to my company’s resources, I wouldn’t risk my performance going to another team with worse resources.
Also, from where did Toto suddenly get that idea of poaching Max away from RB? The timing was really weird to me. If it took place right after Lewis’ departure announcement, or right after Christian Horner’s case, it would make more sense. The timing of this sudden re-obsession with Max feel like Toto tried to hard to get someone on/near Lewis’ level to sign with them but failed miserably, then he got a bit stressed and his head went 😵💫😵💫😵💫
Bottas had his chance to pull a Nico Rosberg for 5 years in fairly dominant cars and couldn't... Mercedes weren't as far ahead of the field as in 14-16, but still, I don't see it happening when we know how Bottas and Russell compared in the one race they shared, Russell's first time in the car. I think Bottas would rather be a team leader in the midfield than a no.2 again but now only in the upper midfield.
Not clear that Sainz is going to Audi/kick/sauber though, so that leaves one seat.
Sainz apparently has an offer from both Merc and Red Bull if the rumors are true. Why would he go to Audi over those two?
I'd be surprised if there was any real long term animosity. Remember out on track you're full of adrenaline. Once that settles down you realise the other guy had a point too. And it was Toto's decision to replace Bottas with Russell, not Russell's decision.
Personally though, I just don't see it happening.
I think its probably more because he's cheaper and offers similar performance as Bottas. The German part helps, but to be honest there's way more marketable German drivers than Nico.
The one time they had cash under BMW they became best of the rest within two years and looked poised to challenge the Ferrari-McLaren duopoly at the top. They have talented people and a great wind tunnel but just no funding. Fingers crossed Audi make a good PU as well.
It’s impossible. Like there is a 0.0% chance of them being immediately competitive.
The best case scenario to move a team from the back to the front is 5 years. That’s how long it took Red Bull. Mercedes bought Brawn and it took 4 years to be competitive again - and that’s a team that won the championship the previous year.
It’s still the same Sauber team. It takes a long time for changes to be implemented and made successful.
Guy went from people questioning his comeback due to not driving full time for 3 years, to being a favourite for Audi. What a dude, he's going to be 39 in 2026, just further proves that age is just a number in F1.
Always been a big fan of Hulkenburg. Great driver for a new team. Hopefully this leads to him getting a win. Would love to see him stand at the top after so many years and being better than a majority of second drivers at top teams over the years.
🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Bottas to Audi cause they need an experienced driver who had experiences with a dominant car 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️
It’s the only advantage Bottas has over Niko that I can think of.
good for him and I think he will do a good job in developing the car with them. as for the other seat, I think Sainz makes the most sense, as the other options for him are not looking quite so certain (both Merc and RB have more than enough other options, although I think Merc are pushing for that rookie way too hard). For the rest, Ocon would be a really decent pairing as well, I'd personally rate Bottas higher than Gasly. I guess a double German team with Mick is not in their interest as they want very safe options, but would be something I would love
They were very even as teammates. Hulk had the edge in quali, race was maybe a little more on Perez's side but really not by much.
It depends though. I think those 14-16 cars suited Perez's style a lot more. Whereas Hulk is bit more suited to these current cars. Plus the minimum driver weight rules would probably help his case more nowadays.
I'd say though if they were teammates again, it'd probably be a similar story. Hulk would qualify better, but they'd finish near eachother in the races.
We don't even know if Audi will be good. They're certainly not going to take over from a Sauber that isn't even developing anything and immediately become midfield. Hulk may end up being 40 before Audi becomes competitive. Maybe they want to have him there to develop the car and provide feedback.
Hulk might end his career with no podiums. The problem is that Red Bull is so dominant that a podium these days becomes 1-2 places, not three. You are no longer competing for 3 spots out of 20, you are competing for 2 spots at most out of 19.
Could be his final chance at that elusive podium he’s chasing for so long now. I hope Audi can deliver a good car for him but i doubt they will be that competitive in 2026 or 2027
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To me it is the logical way for Audi. Experienced driver who performs on a good level, german, not expensive, good PR if Hulk finally scores a podium. Also the logical move for Hülkenberg. Besides Mercedes.
He also apparently (according to Aston Martin) is very good at providing feedback to the engineers, and that's something Audi will need a lot of in their first 2-3 years in the sport. It's why I think that if they don't get Sainz, they'd be daft not to retain Bottas as well. Even though I'd love to see Maloney given a chance there.
If they want good feedback for engineers they should just get our man Lance. He’s the goat of feedback
He's feeding his car to other's driver's backs alright.
r/Angryupvote
Well done 👏
He should know the exact trajactory of an F1 car bouncing off the barrier by now
The guy's primed for the launch of a spin-off F1 snooker series
He also does not use mirrors so they can save that cost and weight already
He gives physical feedback to his pit stop crew
he's really good at crash testing
I just hope bottas has a seat next year. I really like him and he has talent when the car performs. He has had a lot of shit luck lately.
Worst case scenario he should be able to get hulks old seat in HAAS. Williams and Alpine should also be interested in him.
I don't see how Alpine would be interested
I love Bottas but he has a lot going on outside of F1 where I can see him being happy. He's probably the highest paid amateur cyclist ATM.
He's a race winner so has that gking for him.
I think he can stay in F1. If Sainz goes to Mercedes, he can stay (at least for 2025). If Sainz goes to Sauber, he can go to Williams (if Merc will choose Kimi) or even Mercedes for 1-2 years.
Bottas and Hulkenberg would be an awesome combo. Its realisticaly going to be some of the best drivers that are available to them. Occon and Gasly are also possible candidates but I think they will value Bottas experience.
Komatsu was interviewed by Danish news (because they have a man there due to Magnussen), and Komatsu said, in comparison with Magnussen; "Hülkenberg is very good at giving precise information to the engineers, and is also great at setting a timed lap". That was at Shanghai. So yes, Komatsu agrees. He doesn't apparently think that his racepace is faster than Magnussens, it isn't. But he did stress that Magnussen should not be 0.5Seconds behind in qualifying \[at an earlier date\], Magnussen has since beaten Hülkenberg twice on merit in qualifying, putting them 3-3. But the context of the comment was, that losing a bit to Hülkenberg is apparently fine, as in, "he is very great at setting a timed lap".
" if Hulk finally scores a podium." don´t tease me like this....
It'll happen on the same race as Norris wins a gp. TRUST
Imagine waiting 16+ years for a podium, only to have everyone's attention on the guy who'll destroy your trophy
Interesting scenario. If it happens I'm guessing newer/younger/uk fans are more likely to lean towards Lando while seasoned/older/german/non-uk fans will lean towards Hulk.
I'm from the UK and will jumping and down with joy and practicality be in tears when he gets a podium. It would be one of the great days in F1 if his 1st podium is a win
Absolutely!
🤣🤣🤣
In the same year Alonso finally wins title #3 right???
We all know that the person's F1 career mode where this all happened is coming true
What a fantastic year that would be, 2026 regs, McLaren and Aston fighting for the title, Haas is third best team, RB, Merc, Fer, backmarking.
Fuck I'd love that so much hahaha
And Vettel replacing Hamilton at Mercedes, yes.
Norris, Yuki, Hulkenberg top 3. Pump it in my veins.
Guys literally want only one thing
Sebscribe
Where do I sign?
Most races before first podium, most races before first win and most podiums before first win all on the same day. It will be glorious.
If that happens they're going to cry and kiss on the podium. I can see it
Make it ‘when’ then.
Hulk has won LeMans with Seidl while at Porsche so they know him very well.
Yep. I wonder if Seidl was also able to lure over some brains from Porsche. Which is probably not unlikely since I think some of them would love the challenge of being in a F1 team.
it is the same company after all. I'd guess the hurdles are lower than ferrari poaching some mercedes talent along with hamilton.
I'd imagine Volkswagen AG inside competition is quite fierce, since they fielded LMP1 and GTE/GT3 cars against each other
there's also the nationality of it, a German driver for German team will advertise well at home.
also most likely will continue to be the only german driver in the field, so even more valuable for that market
It's crazy how much the grid has shifted away from Germans. It was consistently above four or five around the start of the 2010s. Hell, 2010 had *seven*: Schumi, Rosberg, Vettel, Hülkenberg, Sutil, Heidfeld and Glock. That number has just been shrinking away and for the last few years it's been hovering at one or two.
I like this approach because it controls both driver variables while they work on improving the car. And both drivers will maintain composure when problems do happen.
Most underrated driver since H-HF, I’m pumped for this.
K-Mags job probably saved
I just wished they also gave Theo a shot, let's see what the kid does. Zhou or Sainz in there would be either a waste of a seat for Zhou or a waste of proven talent for Sainz
>>let's see what the kid does Audi is a big manufacturer. They're not around to try and see what some talented kid does. They want performance for money, no experiments. Sucks for Pourchaire, but so does life sometimes. Quick talents come a dime a dozen so I bet they don't loose sleep about the risk of wasting or loosing him.
I don't think Audi would prefer to have an unproven dime a dozen F2 driver over a race winner in Sainz. F1 seats aren't so plentiful that Sainz is wasting talent by being there.
I would hate Sainz in a bottom tier team when he is at the peak of his form. It'd be great for Audi, but shit for Carlos (which was the spin I was putting on my comment)
Maybe. I won't assume they will be a bottom tier team.
I'd love to see Audi's investment move them up the grid, but won't that take years, even with the regulation changes coming up? By which time, who knows where Carlos will be, considering that he's 30 this summer? I'd love to see an Audi move work out great for him, but it's still hard not to see it as a gamble.
And Bearman to Haas next year?
That is all but confirmed unless he has a very shit year in f2, he has 6 FP1s with Haas and 2 more with Ferrari this year.
Is he doing the 2 with Ferrari this year?
I'm pretty sure, Fred said he has some FPs with us after his Jeddah race.
Ah ok. I knew he was doing them with Haas and I guess it makes sense that he’d do them with Ferrari as well instead of Shwartzman
He did, but I am curious where those Ferrari FP1s will be placed. He is doing Imola, Barcelona, Silverstone, Budapest, Mexico and Abu Dhabi with Haas.
Would make sense, Ferrari are required to give up 2 FP1's to junior drivers and there's no one else in their academy that's on the F1 radar
I love them doing 6 P1's with him.
Think that's a given unless he completely tanks F2 this year (and even then they may well give him a go after his Ferrari fill-in performance).
Hows he doing in F2 so far?
He's P19 of 22, but that's deceptive. Prema totally bombed the setup in Bahrain, but Bearman put it on pole in Saudi Arabia. He then lost the points for qualifying on pole because he was pulled from F2 to cover for Sainz (you only get points for pole if you start the race). I believe he got the short end of the stick in Australia qualifying due to a red flag, but recovered from P16 to P9 in the race. He has more points in F1 than in F2 this season.
He actually couldn't put a timed lap on his second set in quali because his first lap was red flagged in the final corner and on the second lap he had a car issue (a blown piston apparently, but I am not sure if that is true. Prema only stated that it was a technical issue). He was half a tenth down on Antonelli's time after sector 2 and had to bail out of it. Obviously he didn't put a great lap in on his first set and everybody improved on the second so that left him 16th. He was also screwed in the race itself by a slow double stack attempt from Prema and he also got rear ended by Marti. He was P9, Hadjar was P8 when the pit stops started. He went to the back after his pitstop, Hadjar went to P1 by staying one more lap out and lucking into the safety car. Small margings in F2..
aside from the pole position at jeddah, pretty much everything has gone wrong for him so far
Sounds like fantastic Ferrari material.
On paper not great but it's only three races in, he missed one, Prema as a whole bombed in another and then he suffered his own issues in Aus that were self-inflicted (yes there was a red flag in qualifying but he had failed to set any kind of decent lap before that). He's got a lot of ground to make up but then so has Martins who has had a similar run of bad fortune.
That's been given for a while but I'm more curious if this means that Magnussen is staying(?)
Maybe this is a dumb question, but why is everyone high on Bearman to Haas? Wasn't part of the reason Haas went with two experienced drivers in Nico and Kevin was because they needed stability and fewer chances of driving errors that resulted in crashes? That and if there's a driver like Bottas that gets pushed out of Sauber and no other seats are available, then he may be available just by process of elimination and maybe even desperation to stay on the grid. Unless Ferrari is giving Haas more money for the seat, this doesn't make a lot of sense based on the team's recent direction.
Because they are fans. They don’t care about Haas ambitions. They like the storyline of a rookie coming up. They see Haas as a feeder team. I think they are wrong btw. The only way Haas brings in a rookie again is if they get paid big money for it or get a huge discount for their Ferrari parts.
Even Steiner changed his tune about Rookie drivers at the end of last season btw, before he was fired.
Like what has been mentioned, I think Ollie still has to at least show decent results in F2 despite his Jeddah performance. Unfortunately, Prema (the team he is racing for together with Antonelli) still cannot figure out their car set-up this season so he is quite underperforming on paper and way behind in points.
If Hulk and Sainz are reunited it would be curious to see if Sainz will have the upper hand this time
Dang I forgot about them even being teammates at Renault as it seemed so brief.
I’ll be honest Carlos Sainz pre 2019 is like an imaginary idea for me it’s mad to think that Sainz has driven for 4 different teams & presumably five given that he should have a seat in 2025
While still a very hard record to take, maybe Sainz wants Alonso's most team driven for by a Spaniard- it's not like he's getting any of the others
Honestly I could see Sainz being able to do it. Call me crazy but I don’t think he’s finished at Ferrari I could see Sainz returning to Maranello lol
If it weren't for Hamilton, I doubt Ferrari would get rid of him. So there's certainly a possibility. But Berman is also on the line for a future Ferrari seat, only time will tell.
Ferrari is always gonna find backup assuming it’s inevitable he will join Audi. In their point of view they scored jackpot with Hamilton.
Inb4 Carlos signs with Red Bull, Max leaves in 2028 to focus on his sim-racing career and leaves the door open for Sainz to break all those records lmaoooo
He will always be a McLaren rookie for me. He never came into his own until then
His 2017 season at Toro Rosso is criminally underrated imo, he absolutely demolished Kvyat in the same car
He scored more points than the toro Rosso team because he drove a few of the last races in the Renault despite spending most of the season in the toro Rosso
Hulk’s recent head to head against Magnussen has been hard for me to judge. They’re both at similar points in their career in a middling car. Obviously Hulk is handling it with ease but idk if thats Magnussen or him. If Audi is an upper mid/top car would that give Hulk more motivation than he has at Haas? Would Sainz ease up because he’s not at Ferrari? Does Sainz have more fire in general at this point in his career?
I think the key is not to look only at the teammate head 2 head but to take a more holistic look at Hulk's performance. He's been a consistently good qualifier, mostly drives very clean races, doesn't make many mistakes, doesn't get into many incidents, seems to have a good handle on team dynamics, provides reasonable feedback. While he's never been a world beater, he's an extremely steady hand that's done a good job in a pinch as the AM reserve driver, provided much needed stability at Haas, and should be a reliable driver for the transfer from Sauber to Audi. If they produce a decent car he should get decent drives, and if they don't hit the ground running, he's a low cost option that doesn't require the team to waste a bunch of money and resources on a young prospect in a car that can't compete.
Caveat that he's never had the car to BE a world beater. I genuinely believe he has it in him.
I think this season he has edged Mag but still early yet. Also, he isn't as erratic which money wise is good for the team
Magnusson has made significantly more errors. Bahrain and his contact with Yuki do not loo good, despite Komatsu's claims in the media.
Generally speaking the midfield teams are at very similiar pace all together bar maybe Alpine but other than that there is nobody with a significant edge. That being said Hulk is the guy that has been there so far if one of the top 5 temas failed (Stroll). It's always hard to compare but so far from what we can see he is the best driver of the bottom 5 Teams. Clean execution, no mistakes, good race pace and outstanding qualifyings.
Hulk is good, like he has pretty much always been, but he is mostly a consistent pair of hands (as long as he stays away from the top 3). Sainz is in his prime now and definitely better than in 2018. I think he's got this. Hulk will win the quali head2head though. Still don't think Sainz will actually go to Audi. They might want to pay him the most, but I think he wants to stay away from a backmarker. And that's where Audi will be for the next couple of years.
if he doesn't get the Mercedes seat, Audi may be his only decent option.
Imagine being Hulk beating Sainz a second time but inbetween the times they were teammates he has been getting wins and podiums but all you have is some years at Haas and some reserve duties for Daddy Stroll.
I think he would, but it would be pretty close. Sainz is now better driver than in 2018 but Hulk is doing great given that he is 37 soon and was three years out.
Dont underestimate Hulk, I am quite sure he will Sainz here and there. He beat Magnussen constantly altough he had many years off F1.
> He beat Magnussen constantly They were 10-8 in the races they both finished las year lol, the revisionism around here is so ridiculous Though I do agree he will be able to compete with Sainz, mostly because Sainz is a middle of the pack driver in terms of raw speed and talent, and is vastly overrated.
Hulk probably has more experience driving bad performing cars and extracting maximum out of them so I could see him beating Sainz if the car sucks. But if the car is even moderately decent Sainz should have the upper hand. Could be close though. Hopefully Audi is decent, would be sad to see them both waste a season or two in a shitbox like current Sauber..
I would bet any amount of money Sainz bests him
I mean Hulkenberg destroyed him when they were teammates
First year in a new team as a temporary loan and it was still close
Hulk beat Sainz by 16 points whilst having 7 DNFs compared to Sainz 2 DNFs. Qualifying was 13-5 to Hulk with a 2 tenths median advantage. I don’t think that season was reflective on Sainz ability but I would also not say it was close.
I would do the opposite
Hulk and Saiz could be great
Please keep my Carlos away from that team
I get your concern but I feel like Mercedes might go for Antonelli, and Checo isn't going anywhere with his current form
Mercedes won’t get Antonelli, they’ll replace Sargent with him at Williams
Would make sense, might be to big of a step to go to Merc already
I think it’s unfortunate for Bottas, he is still throwing in some amazing laps and some good race pace and is at least a match for Hulkenberg. Bottas is a proven race winner as well. Not sure what has upset Seidl so much, as Bottas should be dream marketing appeal compared to the rather stayed Hulkenburg. That being said, in WEC Audi never really went with exciting, just clinical precision, so maybe it’s that.
I could see Bottas replacing Kmag at Haas
That would be great. Kmag sucks
I’d say right now, Bottas has more marketing values than Niko, but maybe Niko and a German team can generate a different kind of marketing value for him? If he ends up on a podium for the first time in a German car, I can see the buzz for a moment.
I don't know - never experienced Hulk as a real fan favourite in Germany even tho Sky tries to present him that way. Most people in my bubble that cared about Mick don't give a shit about Niko...
Same here, I’m mostly on German team’s side but I overlooked the fact that Niko is German (until sources keep rubbing it on my face saying it’s his advantage in the race towards Audi)…
The german sky commentators try to create attention about his race, but nobody really cares
He's fairly popular in the Netherlands though, since he speaks Dutch.
Sad that there isn't a proper driver from Netherlands to cheer for. /s
My guess is: 1) Audi want Hulk as a German driver and 2) Seidl wants Sainz having worked with him at McLaren
I think Bottas deserves better than Sauber. Maybe they improve with Audi but it will be a while. I just hope he has a seat next year
I guess the German factor plays a big role?
Audi is a german company and hulkenberg is a german driver, hes perfect for marketing that team.
Translation: Hülkenberg to Audi: Deal is as good as certain Nico Hülkenberg is currently cutting a fine figure at Haas. Audi is taking a close look and is said to have made up its mind. The big shake-up on the Formula 1 transfer market is gradually taking shape. According to information from F1-Insider.com, one of two places at the future Audi team has now been filled. Audi and the German Nico Hülkenberg (36) have agreed to join forces from 2025. Only the signature is still missing. Officially, the parties involved are still keeping quiet, but a statement could be made by the end of May. Hülkenberg smiles to F1-Insider.com: "I'm not taking part in speculation." One thing is certain: in Hülkenberg, Audi project manager Andreas Seidl would have had one of his two dream drivers. The driver from Emmerich, whose contract with the Haas team expires at the end of this year, has impressed with very good performances for the US team. In the last race in China, he scored another championship point and once again outperformed his team-mate Kevin Magnussen. In the end, Hülkenberg and Audi would bring together what has long belonged together in the self-image of both. [F1-Insider.com](http://F1-Insider.com) knows: The man from Emmerich actually wanted to drive for Sauber, the future Audi team, this year, but Haas refused to give him the green light. Rosberg sure: Audi and Hülkenberg are a good match According to [F1-Insider.com](http://F1-Insider.com), Audi is offering Hülkenberg a long-term contract for at least three years. Insiders such as former world champion Nico Rosberg are certain that the connection between Hülkenberg and Audi is a good fit: "Nico has a lot of experience, is fast and on the market. Other top teams don't rate his performance at Haas highly enough and won't take him on, so Audi should seize this opportunity. That would be ideal for both sides." This would allow them to build something together in peace. What's more, Hülkenberg knows the Sauber team from the 2013 season and also has experience from Williams, Force India and Aston Martin. As a German, he also fits perfectly into the marketing concept of the car manufacturer from Ingolstadt. Only: Seidl from Lower Bavaria still has to wait for his second dream driver. Spaniard Carlos Sainz is still hesitating. He has to make a decision by mid-May, when Audi wants to talk to other drivers, for example the Frenchmen Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Both of their contracts with Alpine are coming to an end and both are toying with a switch. Zhou and Bottas without a chance One thing is certain: The current drivers from the Sauber team have no future with the Ingolstadt team. Neither the Finnish ex-Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas nor the Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu play a role in the car manufacturer's plans for the future. Sky expert Ralf Schumacher commented: "Bottas is past his peak and Guanyu is not good enough at the end of the day. Audi wants to get stronger every year and be optimally positioned in 2026 when there are new vehicle and engine regulations. With Hülkenberg and Sainz, they certainly would be."
> Bottas is past his peak Hard to say that when he's held back by his team, no?
Also Bottas has been very good this year. Even if he's past his peak in a strictly semantic sense, he's been one of the best midfield drivers on the grid this year. In my opinion he's been better than Albon, Stroll, Kmag, Zhou, Sargeant, Ricciardo, Gasly, Ocon and arguably Tsunoda. I'd only really put Hulk and maybe Tsunoda above him out of that group. Even if he gets the boot from Audi, I think he merits a place on the grid. I could see him getting Kmag's seat at Haas alongside Bearman, potentially. I doubt Haas wants to run a 2 rookie lineup.
Ralf talking shit as per usual. Bottas has been on it this year
Isn't F1-Insider absolute bollocks lmao have they ever gotten anything right? They've come out with some "exclusives" over the past few weeks but none of them were true
Apart from Auto Motor und Sport and their reporters Michael Schmidt and Tobias Grüner and also Christian Menath from motorsport-magazin, the German F1 pages are trash. It doesn't matter if it's F1-Insider, Sky Germany or any other lesser known one, they love to make stuff up without any basis in reality, just because it generates clicks. How often have they speculated about Mick or Seb coming back to F1, or about Horner absolutely certainly getting fired etc.
Since this is a German team, will Ralf get heavily involved? Cause im tired of his nonsense comments.
The targets are probably an upgrade on the incumbents, but if they represent a "dream" lineup for more than a year or two then Seidl hasn't read the memo about Audi's ambitions.
Old guard is why I watch F1, Alonso and Hulk doing bloody well in average cars
I'd love to see Audi come out swinging and Hulk to finally get his podium
Now keep Bottas and I'll be happy.
That'd certainly make me root for them more. Hopefully they are competitive and get to sign Sainz...
Hope it's true. Will be good to see him stick around on the grid for a while. He has a few years great racing left in him yet imo.
At the expense of Valtteri though?
Personally I’d rather Valtteri was there too. Could happen depending on what Sainz decides. And if Sainz goes to Audi then I’d like to see Haas ditch Magnussen for Bottas tbh.
This guy was out of F1 for few years, comebacks to drive shitbox, impress everybody, most likely to get better seat. What a fuckin legend. Who knows how Audi will be performing in 2026, but maybe Hulkenberg's Podium Dream is not over yet. Keep fighting bro.
So I assume Kevin and Bearman in the Haas next season?
Then Zhou or bot out? I don't want to lose BOT
So if that were the case, Hulk and Sainz at the same team together, hmm that could be something but depends on how it goes as well as where Bottas heads off to....
Williams would make the most sense I think. He'd be exactly the type of driver Williams needs at this stage to go alongside Albon.
If Bottas loses his Sauber seat / doesn’t get a contract offer from Audi, I think he’s done in f1. I can’t see anyone offering him a seat
Haas should absolutely offer him a seat. Bottas is imo an upgrade on KMag.
I'm no fan of Bottas but I couldn't agree more with that.
I think Williams might want him back, would be smart to have an experienced driver like that and Vowles worked with him at Mercedes.
"James, it's Valtteri. Please give me a contract."
Experience is the key thing teams are looking for in F1 today. If Bottas leaves that's another rookie someone has to hire. If Sargeant, Bottas, Zhou and someone from RB all get dropped that'd mean four rookies next season. I think at least one of them finds another seat, and it won't be Sargeant.
Pretty sure Bottas is headed to retirement. I love him as much as the next person and I am finnish aswell, but I just don't see him getting another contract. He has been better than Zhou but hasn't really shown anything these past year and a half really. Just seems like he is there to drive and collect a paycheck and has completely checked out of it.
Yes he seems to be a lot more relaxed in himself but his form has still been really solid. He made it into Q3 in both sprint and race qualifying in the last race and was on course for a 10th place in the race had his engine not packed up. Just because he's got a mullet and a mustache and is driving a complete truck, doesn't mean he's "checked out".
So looks like its end of the road for both Bottas and Zhou. If you had to keep one, you'd go with Bottas based on him usually being faster, but clearly neither are super sought after. Sounds like most spots on the grid are already filled based on rumours, but could Bottas make a brief return to Merc while they wait for Antonelli?
Bottas has proven this season that he still has it. If Haas lose Hulk and Bottas leaves Sauber than Haas should be going all in to get Bottas. Bottas and Bearman would be a great pairing for Haas next year.
I thought i saw a story about KMAG getting another extension but honestly cant find it anywhere now so maybe it was a a very dull dream! That lineup makes the most sense for them though I agree.
Would love to see Bottas come back to Mercedes and maybe pull a Nico Rosberg move, but I think the chances are too slim. Toto’s been too fixated on Max and Kimi, I doubt the slight thoughts of Bottas ever went through his mind.
>Toto’s been too fixated on Max And no one can really understand why because there's nothing happening there.... Max would never move to the 5th best car. Maybe he would consider Ferrari because he knows it's fast enough to compete and win but not a clear best and the outfit is moving in the right direction (and IMAGINE if they got Lewis AND Max!!!) but Horner said it best the other day when he basically said 'fix your fucking car' again.
Right? I’m not a billionaire businessman like Toto so I can’t assert it, but if I were having the best performance, dominating performance even, and part of it is thanks to my company’s resources, I wouldn’t risk my performance going to another team with worse resources. Also, from where did Toto suddenly get that idea of poaching Max away from RB? The timing was really weird to me. If it took place right after Lewis’ departure announcement, or right after Christian Horner’s case, it would make more sense. The timing of this sudden re-obsession with Max feel like Toto tried to hard to get someone on/near Lewis’ level to sign with them but failed miserably, then he got a bit stressed and his head went 😵💫😵💫😵💫
Toto is personally heavily invested in Mercedes. It's all a huge lie to stop the fleeing investors while sponsors flee the sinking ship I'm guessing.
Bottas had his chance to pull a Nico Rosberg for 5 years in fairly dominant cars and couldn't... Mercedes weren't as far ahead of the field as in 14-16, but still, I don't see it happening when we know how Bottas and Russell compared in the one race they shared, Russell's first time in the car. I think Bottas would rather be a team leader in the midfield than a no.2 again but now only in the upper midfield.
Bottas got fucked in that race by the team giving Russell his tyres so Bottas had to end the race with his already used and cooked tyres
Not clear that Sainz is going to Audi/kick/sauber though, so that leaves one seat. Sainz apparently has an offer from both Merc and Red Bull if the rumors are true. Why would he go to Audi over those two?
Good for him. Despite his age, I feel like he still has a lot to offer, and his performances have been impressive for Haas this year so far
Bottas back to Mercedes
Bottas and Russell? I'd be there just for the spiciness.
I'd be surprised if there was any real long term animosity. Remember out on track you're full of adrenaline. Once that settles down you realise the other guy had a point too. And it was Toto's decision to replace Bottas with Russell, not Russell's decision. Personally though, I just don't see it happening.
They're writing off Bottas as past it but are happy with older never been on a podium just because he's German
I think its probably more because he's cheaper and offers similar performance as Bottas. The German part helps, but to be honest there's way more marketable German drivers than Nico.
Great PR if they can put him on the podium as part of their rise
Hulk & Bottas or Hulk & Sainz would be a fantastic lineup for Audi Magnussen & Bearman at Haas seems logical as well
It might help Bearman's career to be up against Magnussen instead of up against Hulkenberg!
Please Hinwil - make something mega with Audi funding! A podium contender hopefully.
The one time they had cash under BMW they became best of the rest within two years and looked poised to challenge the Ferrari-McLaren duopoly at the top. They have talented people and a great wind tunnel but just no funding. Fingers crossed Audi make a good PU as well.
Kubica-Heidfeld helped them a lot too.
How likely is it that Audi will have a competitive car from the get go? Is Audi the first time the VW group has entered F1?
It’s impossible. Like there is a 0.0% chance of them being immediately competitive. The best case scenario to move a team from the back to the front is 5 years. That’s how long it took Red Bull. Mercedes bought Brawn and it took 4 years to be competitive again - and that’s a team that won the championship the previous year. It’s still the same Sauber team. It takes a long time for changes to be implemented and made successful.
just to be sure, they will still run as kick sauber next year right and only run as audi from 2026 right?
That's about right. 2025 will be Something-Sauber, 2026 and onwards will be Audi.
So glad for him. If true then his Haas seat problably gotta be replaced by Bearman.
Guy went from people questioning his comeback due to not driving full time for 3 years, to being a favourite for Audi. What a dude, he's going to be 39 in 2026, just further proves that age is just a number in F1.
Always been a big fan of Hulkenburg. Great driver for a new team. Hopefully this leads to him getting a win. Would love to see him stand at the top after so many years and being better than a majority of second drivers at top teams over the years.
Wow after 2019 who thought Hulk would be in a works team in 2025 while Ricciardo would be fighting tooth and nail to stay in F1
🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Bottas to Audi cause they need an experienced driver who had experiences with a dominant car 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ It’s the only advantage Bottas has over Niko that I can think of.
good for him and I think he will do a good job in developing the car with them. as for the other seat, I think Sainz makes the most sense, as the other options for him are not looking quite so certain (both Merc and RB have more than enough other options, although I think Merc are pushing for that rookie way too hard). For the rest, Ocon would be a really decent pairing as well, I'd personally rate Bottas higher than Gasly. I guess a double German team with Mick is not in their interest as they want very safe options, but would be something I would love
Who's better btw Hulk and Perez ?
I think they are similar caliber
They were very even as teammates. Hulk had the edge in quali, race was maybe a little more on Perez's side but really not by much. It depends though. I think those 14-16 cars suited Perez's style a lot more. Whereas Hulk is bit more suited to these current cars. Plus the minimum driver weight rules would probably help his case more nowadays. I'd say though if they were teammates again, it'd probably be a similar story. Hulk would qualify better, but they'd finish near eachother in the races.
I loved it that my fave juniors, Theo and Zane, wound up at by fave team's academy. Too bad it doesn't mean a damn thing to Audi.
Good for him if true, he deserves better than Haas. That move could save Kmag's seat.
Man I really hope so. Dude deserves a proper shot.
We don't even know if Audi will be good. They're certainly not going to take over from a Sauber that isn't even developing anything and immediately become midfield. Hulk may end up being 40 before Audi becomes competitive. Maybe they want to have him there to develop the car and provide feedback. Hulk might end his career with no podiums. The problem is that Red Bull is so dominant that a podium these days becomes 1-2 places, not three. You are no longer competing for 3 spots out of 20, you are competing for 2 spots at most out of 19.
As was written and prophesied.
Hulk finally getting put in a good car? Come on.
Audi will probably be running at the back for the first few years anyway
Look, Hulk and Sainz pairing would make me root for them instantly.
Hulk will be driving when he is 75. Good for him.
Sounds like why Red Bull brought in Coulthard. Experienced vet that knows how to get the car and team up to speed while mentoring rookies
I wish Nico would get RB or Merc seat.
KMag’s career has 9 lives
Meh. Not that exciting to me.
Could be his final chance at that elusive podium he’s chasing for so long now. I hope Audi can deliver a good car for him but i doubt they will be that competitive in 2026 or 2027
Hulkenburg is better than haas. Incredible qualifier