Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Haas F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg of Germany speaks during media availabilities at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Driver Nico Hulkenberg said he initially felt “a bit of a shock” after Audi’s management shakeup earlier this week.
Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was named to lead Audi’s Formula One project on Tuesday after the team parted ways with Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffman.
Binotto is the new chief operating officer and chief technical officer for Sauber Motorsport, whose F1 entry will become the Audi team in 2026.
Hulkenberg, currently driving for Haas, will join the team for its final season as Sauber in 2025 before becoming Audi’s first confirmed pilot in 2026.
“Now that was obviously a bit of a wave, a bit of a shock,” Hulkenberg said of the management changes. “But now it’s back to business. I still look forward to joining their project and making it a successful story with Audi.”
“The fact that two people that were closely involved in signing me are not there anymore is of course maybe a bit sad. But I am more interested in the project, joining Formula One with Audi and making it a successful story.”
Hulkenberg, who turns 37 next month, met with reporters at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, where he is preparing for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.
He said he was informed about the team’s change in direction by Audi CEO Gernot Dollner.
“That’s the group’s decision, that they want to change moving forward. I think big projects like this, you have obviously in the management people that are big pillars of such projects,” Hulkenberg said.
“But they never just rely on one or two persons. In F1, everyone is kind of changeable.”
“In terms of Mattia, I know him obviously from the past from the paddock, but I’ve never worked with him. That will change in a few months.”
–Field Level Media
Nico Hulkenberg, a Formula One driver currently racing for Haas F1 team, recently shared his thoughts on the management changes within Audi’s Formula One project. After Audi announced a shakeup in its leadership, with Mattia Binotto taking over as the head of the team, Hulkenberg expressed his initial surprise but also his excitement for the future.
Binotto, a former Ferrari team principal, was appointed as the chief operating officer and chief technical officer for Sauber Motorsport, which will transition into the Audi team in 2026. Hulkenberg, who is set to join Audi as their first confirmed pilot in 2026, will first compete with the team in its final season as Sauber in 2025.
Despite the management changes and the departure of key figures who were instrumental in signing him, Hulkenberg remains focused on the project and is eager to contribute to Audi’s success in Formula One. He emphasized that while the changes may have been unexpected, his primary goal is to help make the Audi team a competitive force in the sport.
During a media availability at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, where he is preparing for the Belgian Grand Prix, Hulkenberg shared that he was informed about the team’s restructuring by Audi CEO Gernot Dollner. He acknowledged the importance of adaptability in Formula One, where personnel changes are not uncommon, and expressed his readiness to work with Binotto in the upcoming season.
As Hulkenberg looks ahead to his future with Audi in Formula One, he remains optimistic about the team’s potential and is determined to play a key role in their success on the track. With a wealth of experience in the sport and a strong drive to compete at the highest level, Hulkenberg is poised to make a significant impact as he embarks on this new chapter in his racing career.
