F1 News: Audi driver announcement imminent following 'UNACCEPTABLE' Italian Grand Prix

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F1 News & Gossip

Audi driver announcement imminent following 'UNACCEPTABLE' Italian GP

Audi set to announce second Formula 1 driver for 2025

Harry Whitfield

Tuesday 3 September 2024 09:57 Updated: 14:43

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Audi executives are close to confirming the second driver for the 2025 Formula 1 season after their team's disappointing performance at the Italian Grand Prix, according to incoming chief technical officer Mattia Binotto.

Kick Sauber's Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu finished P16 and P18 respectively at Monza, once again failing to score any points.

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Nico Hulkenberg has already confirmed that he will leave Haas to join Sauber for the 2025 season and beyond.

The 36-year-old is Audi's first driver signing as they look to complete their line-up for next year, with names such as Theo Pourchaire, Gabriel Bortoleto, and their current driver Bottas being considered for the second seat.

Nico Hulkenberg is the only German driver on the 2024 F1 grid

Mattia Binotto left Ferrari after coming second to Red Bull in the constructors' championship

Binotto weighing up the options after painful Italian GP

In July, it was announced that Binotto would join Sauber Motorsport as the new COO (chief operating officer) and CTO (chief technical officer), with the team set to become Audi for the 2026 F1 season.

The 54-year-old was previously the team principal for Ferrari between 2019 and 2022, but now he is searching for a driver to partner Hulkenberg from next season.

Speaking to media during the race weekend in Monza, he said: "We are looking at all the possibilities, we are weighing up whether we want to focus more on experience or youth in terms of second place next to Nico Hulkenberg.

"Nothing has been decided. But this decision should be made soon, because it is not in our interest that there is any longer speculation here."

Guanyu Zhou's P11 at the Bahrain GP is Kick Sauber's best finish of the season so far

The 54-year-old was not happy with the team's performance on Sunday, as he added: "We have to advance in the peloton, we have to improve muscles in every respect.

"The team's position today is unacceptable. It hurts to see that."

With eight races remaining in the season, there is little time left for Sauber to announce their second driver, and more importantly, score enough points to take them off the bottom of the constructors' championship.