Earlier this month, Sauber announced that Nico Hulkenberg will be their driver from 2025 onwards. Signing the German driver was Audi’s decision, as they are set to join the grid in 2026 by taking over Sauber. Commercially, having Hulkenberg makes sense for Audi but F1 expert Mark Hughes pointed out another driver who is a better fit.
Dissecting this move on The Race’s F1 podcast, Hughes revealed that he isn’t convinced that signing Hulkenberg will be an upgrade. He theorized that Hulkenberg has been signed to partner up with Carlos Sainz (who is also their target). This makes the former a replacement for Valtteri Bottas, their current driver.
Hughes does not think Hulkenberg has the legs on Bottas. He explained,
“Even if Hulkenberg can be incredibly fast over a Qualifying lap, but in terms of how they work their tires, which is absolutely the core of a driver’s effectiveness in current F1 – Bottas is better.”
Audi’s motivation behind signing Hulkenberg has more to do with talent on the grid, however. The German automobile giants are looking to build a name for themselves and having a German driver is going to be a big factor in signing sponsors from the country. This in turn, would allow the team to develop their car in the most effective way possible.
On the other hand, Hulkenberg’s arrival at Sauber in 2025 isn’t likely to bode well for Bottas’ future in the sport. The former Mercedes driver could find himself short of options if he does get replaced ahead of the new campaign.
Is Valtteri Bottas going to race in F1 in 2025?
Audi’s decision to sign Hulkenberg hasn’t rung the death knell on Bottas’ F1 career just yet. The driver market ahead of the 2025 season could see several surprising changes, leaving enough room for Bottas to negotiate a new deal for himself.
One of the teams Bottas could end up racing at is Mercedes, his former team. The Silver Arrows need a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari. Bottas, who won 10 races with Mercedes between 2017 and 2021 could be the perfect short-term solution for the Brackley-based outfit.
Meanwhile, because of the volatility of the driver market, Audi/Sauber could choose to retain Bottas for 2025 at least. The Hinwil-based outfit wants Carlos Sainz, per several reports but the Madrid-born driver hasn’t communicated his decision yet.
Audi has been pushing him for an answer with a deal reportedly on the table for several months now. If Sainz doesn’t choose to drive for Sauber in the end, Audi could look to retain the services of Bottas instead.
