Nico Hulkenberg has been formally confirmed as a driver for Stake subsequent season because the Swiss group 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 Crew after a three-year absence from the game apart from quite a few 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 might like to increase my because of Nico for his contributions to the group within the time that he is been right here with us,” mentioned Ayao Komatsu, “he is been a fantastic group participant and somebody we very a lot take pleasure in working with.
“His expertise and suggestions have proved invaluable to us by way of bettering our general efficiency – a incontrovertible 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 stay up for persevering with to learn 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 growth of the group.
In parallel to his commitments for Stake in 2025, he will probably be carefully concerned within the growth of Audi’s first F1 automotive for 2026.
“We’re very 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 unit group. “Together with his pace, his expertise and his dedication to teamwork, he will probably be an essential a part of the transformation of our group – and of Audi’s F1 mission.
“Proper from the beginning, there was nice mutual curiosity in constructing one thing long-term collectively. Nico is a robust persona, and his enter, on an expert and private stage, will assist us to make progress each within the growth of the automotive and in build up the group.”
This isn’t Hulkenberg’s first encounter with the Swiss group.
“I am returning to the group I labored with again in 2013 and have fond recollections of the sturdy group 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 signify the manufacturing unit group 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 a very powerful 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, occurring to compete in additional than 200 races for seven completely different groups.
In an uncommon transfer for his technology of drivers, he additionally competed within the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) throughout an ongoing Formulation One season, in 2015, profitable the 24 Hours of Le Mans on his debut. His group principal on the time (at Porsche), Andreas Seidl, is wanting ahead to the reunion.
It’s broadly anticipated that Carlos Sainz will probably be named as his Audi teammate.
