Nico Hulkenberg could leave Haas F1 in 2025 to join their rival team - Reports
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg could reportedly switch teams at the end of the 2024 F1 season to join their current rivals Sauber as an experienced driver.
Nico Hulkenberg marked his presence in Formula 1 back in the 2010 season with Williams. Since then, he has raced for multiple teams either as a permanent or a reserve driver. After his absence from the grid as a permanent driver for two consecutive seasons, the German made his comeback with Haas in 2023, replacing Mick Schumacher in the team.
While this return was much anticipated, Haas' VF-23 wasn't competitive enough. Out of the 22 races, there was only one where he managed to put the car in points, finishing seventh in Australia gaining nine points.
Hulkenberg still has a contract with the team for the 2024 season, but it has been anticipated that he could look for opportunities elsewhere. Sauber seems to be a strong choice for him given the circumstances. Audi will take over the team in the 2026 season, and it has been reported previously that they are looking forward to having an experienced driver.
This wouldn't be the first time that Nico Hulkenberg would race for Sauber. He had the same opportunity back in 2013 where he had his career-best third place finish.
Nico Hulkenberg doesn't mind racing in future despite his age
The German is currently 36 and if he has a chance to race with Audi in the future, he would be 39 by the time. While this might seem a little old in comparison to other drivers on the grid, Hulkenberg plans to race still.
When asked earlier about a move to Sauber in the future by Auto Motor und Sport, Nico Hulkenberg revealed that it would depend on the future. He still hopes to see Haas get more competitive.
"Only time will tell," he said. "Let’s first see how the season goes next year. Do we have a competitive car? Which people are recommended for which tasks?"
Currently, the oldest drivers on the grid are Fernando Alonso (42) and Lewis Hamilton (38). These are the drivers that Hulkenberg considers as "ambassadors" to keep racing at an older age as well.
"Fernando and Lewis are good ambassadors," he said. "They show that you can still be fast at an advanced age."
Hulkenberg will race with Haas for another season alongside teammate Kevin Magnussen. The team dropped to the bottom of the standings again in the 2023 season with just 12 points in their bag.