Balancing Experience and Potential: Who Will Join Nico Hulkenberg at Audi’s F1 2025 Campaign?

Which driver should Audi recruit to join Nico Hulkenberg for the F1 2025 season?

Who is Audi likely to choose as Nico Hulkenberg's teammate for F1 2025?

Audi has yet to make a decision on who will join Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber for the 2025 F1 season.

The final call rests with Mattia Binotto, who took up a position with Audi in August after his tenure as the head of Ferrari.

Audi faces a decision between choosing seasoned professionals or younger talent – which path should they take?

"Performing at a higher level than during my time with Mercedes"

At first glance, letting go of Valtteri Bottas might seem like a tough call.

This year, Bottas has consistently outshone his teammate Zhou Guanyu, holding a 17-1 lead in their qualifying matchups.

Valtteri Bottas is currently at the end of the F1 drivers' championship standings, trailing Zhou due to a countback advantage from Zhou's P11 finish in Bahrain. However, this does not warrant dismissing the Finnish driver due to performance issues.

Bottas might have earned points twice if Sauber's pit stop issues hadn't disrupted their performance at the beginning of the season.

Valtteri Bottas believes he is still delivering peak performances.

During a discussion in Singapore, Bottas expressed, "I believe that, particularly in this year's qualifying sessions, I haven't noticed any decline in my performance. In fact, I think with more experience, there's a continuous improvement."

"The more time you spend in the sport, the more consistent and confident you become. You learn to address various challenges in unique ways and adjust better to the car."

"I believe my driving skills have improved compared to my time at Mercedes, although it's not very apparent."

When it comes to sheer speed, Bottas definitely deserves a spot on the F1 grid. Teaming up with Hulkenberg, Sauber would have a very fast and experienced duo of drivers.

Considering Sauber is expected to be at the back of the grid once more in 2025, wouldn't it make more sense to prepare a young driver now, just a year before Audi joins the team?

At the age of 35, Bottas is clearly not seen as a long-term prospect. Although he is reliable, the impressive performances of Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto suggest that choosing a rising star might be the best strategy for the German automaker.

Choosing Youth

Colapinto's series of impressive showings for Williams may have changed the conversation regarding the inclusion of rookies or drivers with less experience in Formula 1.

In his three Formula 1 races, the Argentine driver has closely competed with the well-regarded Alex Albon, showing himself to be a notable improvement over Logan Sargeant.

The head of Williams, James Vowles, has expressed his willingness to allow Colapinto to move to Sauber.

Considering the remarkable performances by Colapinto and Bearman this year, it's possible that Binotto and Audi might be inclined to choose yet another driver from Formula 2.

Brazilian racer Gabriel Bortoleto is rumored to be moving up to Formula 1 with Sauber. Managed by Fernando Alonso’s ‘A14’ agency, Bortoleto currently leads the Formula 2 championship.

Since 2017, when Felipe Massa last competed, there hasn't been a Brazilian driver in Formula 1. This absence presents an opportunity for Audi to re-engage with that market.

With 2025 expected to be a transitional year for Sauber as they anticipate Audi's complete participation, it would provide an opportunity for a less seasoned driver to develop and gain experience outside of the public eye.

The alternative choice

Mick Schumacher's prospects in Formula 1 are dwindling as time continues to pass. The German driver was passed over by Alpine, who opted to select Jack Doohan to take Esteban Ocon's place.

Schumacher has shown impressive performance while competing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine, yet his main objective remains to make a comeback to Formula 1.

He mentioned to Autosport that any decisions regarding the future are expected to be made sometime later this year, with the hope that it will happen soon.

The moment I determine my plans, I will definitely issue a press release to inform everyone.

"The ultimate goal is to compete in Formula 1, which has been my dream since childhood. However, being part of the WEC is still an incredible experience."

One might easily overlook the fact that Schumacher surpassed Kevin Magnussen's performance in the latter part of 2022, prior to being succeeded by Hulkenberg.

Though it seems improbable, giving Schumacher another opportunity could be fascinating to observe his performance away from the Haas team.

Discover More

Join Our F1 Newsletter

Receive the newest updates, special features, interviews, and offers from the world of Formula 1 delivered straight to your email.

For further details, please refer to our Privacy Policy

Recent Updates

Additional Stories

Website Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to fully or partially reproduce the text, images, or drawings in any way.