P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Audi is still yet to announce who will partner Nico Hulkenberg in 2026 but also in 2025 whilst still known as Stake F1.
Newly-appointed Sauber chief operating and chief technical officer Mattia Binotto has revealed that Theo Pourchaire and Gabriel Bortoleto are both options for the vacant Audi seat. Binotto is preparing Sauber for its transition to an Audi works team in 2026 when the new power unit regulations are introduced. Nico Hulkenberg is the only confirmed driver by Stake/Audi for 2025 and 2026, with several names being linked to the vacant spot. Current stakeholders Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are eager for the seat, while Pourchaire and McLaren’s F2 junior driver Bortoleto are other options under consideration. Binotto stated that there are many names on the list, and a key decision that Audi must make is evaluating the type of driver it wants to partner Hulkenberg, be it someone experienced or a young talent for the “long-term project”. Audi must decide quickly so that a second driver can be signed to end all speculation.
