Two-time IndyCar champion named as possible contender for 2025 Audi seat

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Audi are exploring a range of options as they seek a teammate for Nico Hulkenberg. Around three and a half months on from Hulkenberg’s arrival, they’ve still yet to complete the 2025 Sauber line-up.

Audi won’t officially enter F1 until 2026 when they take control of the established Swiss team. But any moves this year could effectively form their first driver lineup.

The easiest option on the face of it would be to re-sign one of the current drivers. ‘Against all odds’, Audi could keep Valtteri Bottas, who’s looked set to leave for much of the year.

While Zhou Guanyu is responsible for the scoreless team’s best result so far (P11 in Bahrain), Bottas has consistently outperformed him. He’s also hugely experienced, with 236 race starts under his belt.

But given that Hulkenberg is similar in profile, new boss Mattia Binotto may be inclined to take a risk with the second seat. For instance, Binotto could hand a one-year deal to Mick Schumacher, currently reserve driver for Mercedes.

Audi have also looked at Gabriel Bortoleto, second in the F2 championship, but they would need McLaren to release him. Liam Lawson is also an option if he leaves Red Bull, with a contract deadline looming.

Alex Palou floated as potential Audi candidate

A report from Auto Motor und Sport mentions Alex Palou as a wildcard option to partner Hulkenberg. Palou currently competes in the IndyCar series for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Palou has won two titles in the series (2021 and 2023) and is on course for a third this year. With 12 out of 18 races gone, he leads Will Power by 49 points.

He’s a ‘bold’ option for the seat given that F1 tends to ‘keep its hands off IndyCar drivers’ but he could be a ‘direct hit’. The belief is that one team should have taken a gamble on him already.

Significantly, Palou also impressed in his Le Mans outing with Cadillac. While he had to settle for 14th in the hypercar category, he was ‘immediately the best in the team’.

Who is Alex Palou amid Sauber rumour?

27-year-old Spaniard Palou raced in the GP3 series, one of the traditional steps on the road to F1, back in 2015 and 2016. He didn’t make much of an impression, picking up just one win and two podiums, which may be why he never earned a full-time chance in Formula 2.

But after finishing an impressive third in Super Formula in 2019, he made what has proved to be an inspired move to IndyCar. His reserve role at McLaren opened up opportunities to drive F1 machinery, most notably in the first practice session for the 2022 United States Grand Prix.

Palou set the 17th-fastest time in that outing, a couple of seconds adrift of full-time driver Lando Norris. He was also three seconds off the ultimate pace, but it’s difficult to judge performance in a practice session.

A move to Sauber/Audi would be extremely divisive. But some would argue it’s exactly the kind of gamble the team need to break out of their current malaise.