F1 team boss ‘gave everything’ to persuade 536-point driver to sign contract for 2025

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The pieces of the 2025 Formula 1 grid are slowly falling into place. Back in the winter, Lewis Hamilton sent a seismic wave through the driver market when he decided to join Ferrari.

Hamilton’s move left Carlos Sainz without a seat, a development few had previously expected. Three-time Grand Prix winner Sainz is now the top free agent on the market for next year.

It’s also left Mercedes needing to fill a vacancy. Much as the Silver Arrows are struggling this year, they remain one of the most attractive teams on the grid given their track record.

One driver who won’t be joining is Fernando Alonso, despite extensive talks with Toto Wolff. Alonso opted to sign a new deal at Aston Martin instead.

• READ MORE: 2024 F1 driver contract lengths and wages with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes deal

That was the second significant domino to fall in the market after the Hamilton announcement. And the third came at the end of last month as Sauber announced the signing of Nico Hulkenberg.

Hulkenberg was out of contract at the end of the season and has signed a multi-year deal to return to the Swiss outfit. It’s not yet clear whether he’ll replace Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu.

Nico Hulkenberg says Ayao Komatsu implored him to stay at Haas

In comments relayed by Motorsport.com Netherlands, Hulkenberg has lifted the lid on his talks with Ayao Komatsu. The team principal was apparently desperate for him to stay.

That’s no surprise given that Hulkenberg has scored 15 of the team’s 19 points since the start of last season, including six of their seven this year. He’s been a difference-maker in F1’s midfield battle.

In the end, however, he felt he had to go with the better ‘sporting’ project. And with Audi set to acquire Sauber in 2026, they had the edge.

“Up until the announcement, it was great working together,” he said. “Also in the field of coordination.

“I discussed it openly with him a few weeks ago, that there was a good dynamic and a choice would be made sooner rather than later. He fought, he gave everything.

“The decision did not come naturally to me. I had already thought about it. Haas is the team that made my comeback possible. But at the end of the day, Audi was better for me personally from a sporting point of view.”

Haas eye Valtteri Bottas and Oliver Bearman for 2025

Komatsu has had to begin shopping for a potential replacement for 536-point veteran Hulkenberg, and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix sensation Oliver Bearman is the favourite. Bearman will drive in six FP1 sessions for the team this year, starting in Imola this weekend.

On paper, things could be pretty straightforward. The 18-year-old belongs to the Ferrari academy but they have links to Haas through their engine deal and they will want to build up his experience at the highest level.

Perhaps the real question marks surround the second seat with the American outfit. Kevin Magnussen finds himself under increasing pressure after a horror-show Miami GP in which he picked up five penalty points.

Haas are looking into the possibility of signing 10-time race-winner Bottas instead. Ironically, Bottas may lose his seat at Sauber to make room for Hulkenberg.

The team believe that Bearman could benefit from working alongside a driver with Bottas’ pedigree in the sport. With Zhou also in the running, Magnussen knows he must deliver for the remainder of the campaign to avoid losing his drive.