Nico Hülkenberg will leave Haas at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The 36-year-old German driver has signed a multi-year deal with the German manufacturer and will join the squad next year.
Hülkenberg is no stranger to Sauber either. In their final year under that name before Audi take complete control, he will be one of their drivers. He drove for the Hinwil-based squad in 2013, securing a memorable P4 finish in the Korean Grand Prix as he brilliantly fended off Lewis Hamilton in the final stint of the race.
Since joining Haas ahead of the 2023 season, Hülkenberg has been consistently their lead driver. He’s outscored teammate Kevin Magnussen by 13-4 and comfortably outperformed him in qualifying 18-9.
The 2010 Brazilian GP polesitter will be key in helping Haas stay in their current position of P7 in the Constructors’ Championship until the end of the campaign, or even going one better.
After nearly joining Ferrari over a decade ago, this represents Hülkenberg’s first opportunity to work for a huge manufacturer in F1.
Pit Debrief learned Haas had been really keen to keep Hülkenberg due to his performances since joining the team and the fact he could give the team quality feedback regarding the car.
Ayao Komatsu
“I’d like to extend my thanks to Nico for his contributions to the team in the time that he’s been here with us – he’s been a great team player and someone we very much enjoy working with.
“His experience and feedback have proved invaluable to us in terms of improving our overall performance – a fact that’s clearly evident in both his qualifying and race performances in the VF-24 this season.
“There’s lots more racing to go this year so we look forward to continuing to benefit from his inputs throughout the remainder of the 2024 season.”
Andreas Seidl
“The signing of Nico is the next milestone for Audi’s Formula 1 project. With his speed, his experience and his dedicated teamwork, he will make an important contribution to Audi’s entry in 2026 as early as next year.
“Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in tackling a project of this uniqueness together. Nico is a strong personality, his determination and desire on a professional and personal level will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team.”
Nico Hülkenberg
“The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it’s a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honor for me.”
