Hülkenberg confirms Audi seat for 2027

Nico Hülkenberg has shut down speculation over his Audi future by confirming he will still be with the team in Formula 1 in 2027.

Speaking at Spa ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg made his position plain. “Die Vertragsverhältnisse sind eindeutig. Von meiner Seite aus gibt es jedenfalls keinerlei Fragezeichen,” the Audi driver said. Asked directly whether he would race for Audi again in 2027, he replied: “Ja.”

That response cuts through weeks of summer-break rumor around Audi’s line-up, including talk linking Carlos Sainz to the project. Hülkenberg dismissed it as “das typische Sommerloch-Gerede in der Formel 1” and said he had heard nothing to suggest any change. “Ich weiß, dass das Team mit Gabriel Bortoleto und mir sehr zufrieden ist,” he said.

He also addressed the Sainz chatter more directly, saying he had seen the rumors himself and joking that the only seat that might still be available at Audi was “der Platz als Reservefahrer.” He added: “Ich bezweifle aber, dass er daran interessiert ist.”

Part of the uncertainty came from the way Audi announced Hülkenberg’s deal in 2024 as a multi-year contract without setting out public end dates. Hülkenberg joined for the 2025 season under the Sauber identity and is now in Audi’s first year as a works team in 2026, which by his own explanation means the agreement extends into at least one more season in 2027.

His comments also underline that Audi is prioritizing stability as it builds its new works operation. Hülkenberg described the project as “noch ganz am Anfang” and said “2026 ist unser erstes gemeinsames Jahr als Team,” with more groundwork still needed.

That continuity matters because the results are still modest. Audi heads into Spa ninth in the constructors’ championship out of 11 teams with six points, all scored by Gabriel Bortoleto through top-10 finishes in Melbourne and Silverstone, while Hülkenberg is still waiting for his first points finish for Audi.