As of 2026, the Sauber team will change into the Audi team. Nico Hülkenberg is now assured of a place in the team, but the question remains who will fill that second seat. Future returning Audi team boss Mattia Binotto has announced that he already has a number of candidates, but it is not yet clear who it will be.
Mattia Binotto is back with a vengeance. After a long period on the sidelines after his departure from Ferrari, he will return to work in Formula 1 in 2026. He will become the new team boss of Audi. Sauber will hand over the Formula 1 baton to this team from 2026. At the moment, only Nico Hülkenberg is certain of a place in the German team. It is not yet known who will join him. However, several names have already been mentioned of possible drivers who would love to have this seat.
Will Bottas stay?
At the moment, the Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas is the biggest contender for the seat at Sauber. But this would only be for the year 2025. Audi would rather wait a little longer before signing the team. During an interview with Corriere della Sera let Binotto know that Mick Schumacher is certainly a possibility. Binotto has already worked with the German driver, as Schumacher has been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. This means he already knows what the driver is worth to him. He also indicates that he certainly sees that the team has a luxurious position, as most teams have already signed their drivers for 2026.
Multiple options
There are currently a lot of drivers who are eager to get a spot in Formula 1. Binotto does indicate the following when it comes to the type of driver they are looking for: “There are two essential options: on the one hand, experience to help us grow. On the other hand, you have young talents who can accompany us on our way to the top.” The latter option seems the most plausible for the team. Especially since they already have Nico Hülkenberg as an experienced driver. “We are at the beginning of a climb.” Let Binotto know. “In front of us is Mount Everest and we can only see the base. We decide which side to climb, but it is important to establish a path.” Explains the future team boss. So we will have to wait a little longer to see which path Binotto and Audi will climb.
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