‘From everything I saw’… Alex Albon names the driver he expected to land Audi seat before turnaround

Follow us on Google Discover

Audi signed Nico Hulkenberg for their F1 project back in April, but nearly six months later, they still haven’t named his teammate. In a sense, the delay has removed the need to rush.

The German giants, who will take over at Sauber in 2026, wanted to make Carlos Sainz their flagship signing. But they couldn’t convince him to join and he opted for Williams instead.

Other hot properties on the market also signed contracts elsewhere. Yuki Tsunoda extended his stay at RB, Pierre Gasly penned a new deal at Alpine and Esteban Ocon moved to Haas.

With 18 out of 24 races gone, Red Bull and RB are the only other teams who haven’t finalised their line-up for 2025. Liam Lawson’s late promotion gives him a chance to audition for Sergio Perez’s drive.

Christian Horner and Helmut Marko will almost certainly promote within if they do opt for a refresh, removing any competition for Sauber. New boss Mattia Binotto knows he has time to comprehensively assess his options.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have raced together for the past three years. But only Bottas has a chance of a extension; Zhou looks destined to become a reserve driver.

Alex Albon says Gabriel Bortoleto to Audi ‘sounded like it was happening’

In an interview with Motorsport Brazil, Williams driver Alex Albon was asked about Gabriel Bortoleto, the country’s emerging hope. The 19-year-old is currently leading the Formula 2 championship.

Audi have held talks with McLaren about signing Bortoleto, with the Woking outfit insistent on a loan deal. He’s part of their driver academy and they see him as a long-term option

Albon previously thought that he was in line to get the seat alongside Hulkenberg. But now the situation appears to have changed.

Sauber want to sign Bortoleto permanently, but that would require buying him out of his contract. The figure would apparently be ‘far too high’ for them to pay, despite the backing of Audi.

“From everything I saw, it sounded like it was happening,” Albon said. “There was a good chance. I think you guys know more [about] the talks of the paddock.”

Why Valtteri Bottas’ connections to Toto Wolff could cost him an Audi extension

The key question is whether this puts Bottas in pole position. There are varying reports on his chances.

One claims that Bottas is line for a new contract after dropping a key demand. He wanted a multi-year deal but is now prepared to accept a 12-month agreement in order to stay on the grid.

Elsewhere, however, it’s said that Toto Wolff’s ongoing role in managing Bottas could pose a problem. Audi may see Wolff as a possible ‘spy’ as they look to compete with the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull in years to come.

Albon’s new Williams teammate Franco Colapinto, who’s only competed in three races, remains a contender. James Vowles has already completed his 2025 pairing with the deal for Sainz.