Audi make 2025 F1 driver decision as racer 'has already signed contract in secret'

Audi person taken their clip to determine who volition spouse Nico Hulkenberg successful 2025 aft missing retired connected apical people Carlos Sainz, but look to person present made the telephone aft considering their galore options

Audi look to person yet decided who volition spouse Nico Hulkenberg successful the 2025 Formula 1 season.

As it stands, determination are conscionable 2 seats connected adjacent years' grid inactive to beryllium officially confirmed. One of them is astatine VCARB, but genitor squad Red Bull volition determine aft this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix whether to support Daniel Ricciardo oregon regenerate him with reserve Liam Lawson.

And it seems the different spot inactive unconfirmed has been filled. According to Swiss outlet Blick, a reprieve has been handed to Valtteri Bottas who, for months, seemed apt to suffer his spot arsenic Audi precise publically courted outer candidates.

Earlier successful the season, Bottas was successful talks with his aged squad Williams. But they signed Carlos Sainz instead, who happened to beryllium Audi's apical people to spouse Hulkenberg, forcing a rethink and boosting the Finn's chances of landing a declaration extension.

But it was acold from a-given with Audi inactive keen to look astatine each their antithetic options. That included striking an statement with McLaren who said they would let their inferior operator Gabriel Bortoleto to marque the power if helium was offered an F1 contract.

And determination are different youngsters looking for the adjacent measurement successful their careers. If Lawson doesn't onshore a Red Bull spot for 2025 past helium volition beryllium escaped to talk to different teams, portion determination is nary country astatine Williams for Franco Colapinto adjacent twelvemonth contempt his fantabulous commencement to a little stint racing for the squad aft Logan Sargeant was axed earlier this month.

But Audi look to person overlooked much youthful options successful the sanction of a much experienced line-up. Blick reports that Bottas has already signed a caller woody with the German carmaker to proceed with the Hinwil-based Sauber outfit adjacent year, portion team-mate Zhou Guanyu is acceptable to driblet disconnected the F1 grid.

A alteration of enactment astatine the nascent F1 task appears to person saved the erstwhile Mercedes driver. Previous Sauber main enforcement Andrea Seidl was looking elsewhere, but constructive conversations with caller COO Mattia Binotto look to person led to a caller woody being offered.

Bottas turned 35 past month, portion Hulkenberg is 37. But contempt those numbers suggesting neither are going to beryllium staying for the long-term, the second has a multi-year woody aft impressing since returning to F1 with Haas, portion the Finn insists helium is performing amended present than helium ever did with Mercedes, with whom helium won 10 races.

He said successful Singapore: "If anything, you support getting amended with experience. You summation much consistency, much confidence. You tin lick antithetic issues successful a antithetic way. You tin accommodate to the car the much clip you walk successful the sport. I consciousness really I'm driving amended than what I did astatine Mercedes, but evidently it's not that visible."