Four-time F1 Champion Sebastian Vettel May Be Angling for Audi Seat

Two Germans, including a four-time F1 champion, are reportedly near the top of team owner Audi's list to join Nico Hulkenberg next year at Sauber.

The Sun newspaper in Britain believes Mick Schumacher is being seriously considered for the role, while Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko told Austrian media outlet Osterreich newspaper this week that retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel is still pushing for a return to Formula 1.

Vettel has a history with former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, and he also knows Mattia Binotto well from his time at Ferrari.

Another obvious candidate to pair with Hulkenberg is current Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas, who is currently in California. Bottas recently posted a photo of himself alongside an Audi R8 emblazoned with his race No. 77.

Earlier, the Finn said he hoped Binotto's arrival as boss might change the course of his 2025 contract talks.

"It is going to reset the talks a bit, because we have previously been in communication with Andreas (Seidl) and Oliver (Hoffmann) and now it's Mattia," said Bottas. "So yeah, for sure that will change some things, so we need to speak."

Fellow Finn and former F1 driver Mika Salo also thinks Bottas is still in with a chance of retaining his seat, having been a part of the transition from Sauber to Audi so far.

"When I moved to Toyota, nothing already existed," Salo told Iltalehti newspaper. "It wasn't easy, and then I got fired in the middle of it all. I hope Valtteri will be able to reap the benefits.

"Alpine is still being speculated, but I don't really see any point in moving there," Salo added. "It would be better if he could continue where he is already. I saw him in Hungary, but I didn't bother to ask him about this, because I knew he wouldn't tell me anything anyway," the former Sauber driver laughed.