Nico Hulkenberg has been formally confirmed as a driver for Stake subsequent season because the Swiss crew prepares to morph into Audi in 2026.
Simultaneous press releases from Haas and Stake confirmed what has been broadly speculated for a number of weeks.
Hulkenberg returned to F1 ‘full-time’ in 2023 with Haas F1 Staff after a three-year absence from the game aside from various appearances for Racing Level and Aston Martin that earned him the nickname ‘tremendous sub’. The German at present sits thirteenth within the drivers’ standings with three prime 10 finishes from the opening 5 rounds of the 2024 season.
“I would like to increase my due to Nico for his contributions to the crew within the time that he is been right here with us,” mentioned Ayao Komatsu, “he is been a terrific crew participant and somebody we very a lot take pleasure in working with.
“His expertise and suggestions have proved invaluable to us when it comes to bettering our general efficiency – a indisputable fact that’s clearly evident in each his qualifying and race performances within the VF-24 this season.
“There’s tons extra racing to go this yr so we look ahead to persevering with to profit from his inputs all through the rest of the 2024 season.”
The German has signed a multi-year contract with Stake and, in 2026, will change into the primary driver for Audi’s entry. With expertise from over 200 F1 races, Audi sees Hulkenberg as an essential constructing block for the profitable improvement of the crew.
In parallel to his commitments for Stake in 2025, he shall be carefully concerned within the improvement of Audi’s first F1 automotive for 2026.
“We’re more than happy to welcome Nico again right here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formulation One,” mentioned Andreas Seidl, CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG and CEO of the long run Audi F1 manufacturing facility crew. “Together with his velocity, his expertise and his dedication to teamwork, he shall be an essential a part of the transformation of our crew – and of Audi’s F1 venture.
“Proper from the beginning, there was nice mutual curiosity in constructing one thing long-term collectively. Nico is a powerful character, and his enter, on an expert and private degree, will assist us to make progress each within the improvement of the automotive and in build up the crew.”
This isn’t Hulkenberg’s first encounter with the Swiss crew.
“I am returning to the crew I labored with again in 2013 and have fond recollections of the sturdy crew spirit in Switzerland,” mentioned the German. “The prospect of competing for Audi is one thing very particular. When a German producer enters Formulation One with such willpower, it’s a distinctive alternative. To characterize the manufacturing facility crew of such a automotive model with an influence unit made in Germany is a superb honour for me.”
With 4 titles between 2005 and 2009 in crucial single-seater junior classes, Hulkenberg proved his expertise early on. In 2008, he attracted consideration throughout F1 take a look at drives earlier than making his debut in 2010, happening to compete in additional than 200 races for seven totally different groups.
In an uncommon transfer for his era of drivers, he additionally competed within the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) throughout an ongoing Formulation One season, in 2015, successful the 24 Hours of Le Mans on his debut. His crew principal on the time (at Porsche), Andreas Seidl, is wanting ahead to the reunion.
It’s broadly anticipated that Carlos Sainz shall be named as his Audi teammate.
