Friday's F1 news round-up includes confirmation of Audi's first driver signing for the 2026 F1 season and more on rumors that Adrian Newey is set to leave Red Bull.
Buckle up and enjoy a thrilling ride at breakneck speeds…
F1 News: Audi contract, Adrian Newey rumors and more
Nico Hulkenberg leaves Haas to sign first contract with Audi
Nico Hulkenberg becomes the first driver to sign Audi's long-awaited F1 project, with news confirmed that he will leave Haas at the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Hulkenberg, who has been closely linked with the German manufacturer in recent months, will join Sauber in 2025, where he spent one season in 2013, before the team becomes Audi in 2026 and transforms for a new era in F1. I will be participating in the race.
The confirmation of Hulkenberg's arrival means that either Sauber's current pairing, Valtteri Bottas or Guanyu Chou, will lose their seats for 2025, with the team's line-up still to be finalized.
Sauber/Audi have been strongly linked with a move for outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.
read more: Audi confirms Nico Hulkenberg's long-suspected transfer after his departure from Haas was sealed
Adrian Newey has reportedly rejected Aston Martin's offer
Adrian Newey's F1 future has been a hot topic of discussion since it was widely reported on Thursday that the design guru had announced his intention to leave Red Bull.
The claim follows rumors in recent weeks that Newey has received offers from both Aston Martin and Ferrari, with both looking to take advantage of Red Bull's current uncertainty. belongs to.
Newey's former colleagues at Williams now claim the 65-year-old turned down an offer from Aston Martin.
read more: Adrian Newey claims he received big money offer from Aston Martin
Red Bull warns of 'significant' impact of Adrian Newey's possible departure
Former F1 strategist Bernie Collins has warned that Red Bull is likely to face “serious” consequences if Adrian Newey leaves the team ahead of the 2026 F1 rules reset.
The sudden uncertainty over Newey's future comes at a delicate time, with regulations set to tighten in the summer ahead of 2026.
Collins, a former McLaren and Force India strategy guru, said the loss of Newey could have a big impact on the team's on-track performance after two strong years in 2022/23. I am concerned that there is.
read more: Concerns grow over Red Bull's 2026 F1 plans as Adrian Newey rumors swirl
Helmut Marko reveals more about Carlos Sainz's Audi offer
Helmut Marko has shed more light on Audi's offer for Carlos Sainz, which has reportedly been extended to the outgoing Ferrari driver.
Marko went into overdrive in the run-up to the Chinese Grand Prix after admitting that Red Bull could not match the “very lucrative offer” made to Sainz by Audi for 2025 and beyond.
As a result, the longtime Red Bull advisor was reprimanded by team principal Christian Horner for saying in Shanghai that it was “inappropriate to reveal what offers are being made.” .
Do you think that stopped Marco? The famous doctor revealed the exact length of the contract offered to Sainz.
read more: Helmut Marko reveals more details about Carlos Sainz's Audi offer as deadline approaches
Carlos Sainz advises against Red Bull transfer
Sainz should jump at the chance to join Mercedes for the 2025 F1 season, saying it would be “more logical” for him to be a direct swap for Lewis Hamilton than to become Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull.
This is the view of Nelson Piquet Jr., who is convinced that Mercedes will return to the top sooner or later.
There were reports from Italy earlier this month that Sainz was close to agreeing a deal to replace Hamilton, who announced in February that he would join Ferrari in 2025.
read more: Carlos Sainz “can't go'' to Red Bull, says move to F1 in 2025 “makes sense''