Nico Hulkenberg closes in on Audi F1 move for 2025: “Only the signature is missing”

Nico Hulkenberg is close to signing an agreement with Audi for the 2025 F1 season.

According to Sport1, Hulkenberg has agreed to join Audi - the team is currently known as Sauber - for next year.

The report states that "only the signature is missing" and that Hulkenberg’s switch from Haas could be announced by the end of next month.

Hulkenberg - along with Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz - has been top of Audi’s wishlist as they look to replace Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl wanted to replace Bottas with Hulkenberg for this season but Haas were unwilling to let the impressive German go.

Hulkenberg will return to Hinwil having spent a year at the team back in 2013.

The 36-year-old will reportedly be offered a three-year contract with Audi officially entering the sport in 2026.

Hulkenberg previously has insisted that he’s in “no rush” to get his future sorted.

“You know, personally, I think it’s still kind of early doors in the season, but I think balls have started rolling in different places,” Hulkenberg said in Japan.

“I think it’s [a] pretty interesting couple of weeks ahead. But personally, I’m in no big rush, you know, that I need to have it done tomorrow.”

Hulkenberg has enjoyed another impressive season with Haas so far, scoring points in three of the first five races in 2024.

With Fernando Alonso committing his future to Aston Martin, the F1 driver market dominos are falling.

Audi will have to wait for Sainz though as he waits to see what Red Bull and Mercedes decide.

Red Bull are keen to stick with Sergio Perez but that will depend on his performances, while Mercedes are expected to promote protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

In terms of Sauber’s current drivers, Bottas and Zhou could find themselves off the grid for 2025 with no obvious options currently.