The latest news on the grapevine is that Audi is tipped to include a big name in their squad as they enter Formula 1 in 2026. Apart from the Valtteri Bottas and Mick Schumacher rumors, the latest name on the list is Ferrari’s very own, Carlos Sainz.
As per reports, Sainz is the prime target of the German giants. The Ferrari driver’s aggression on track, which comes with sheer agility and car control, makes him a top target for Audi as they look to arrive with a bang.
According to the Swiss publication Blick, Sainz is the choice for one obvious reason. As the Spaniard has been in Charles Leclerc’s shadows at Ferrari, real chances of a championship seem like wishful thinking.
Hence, Audi and CEO Seidl will look to use this opportunity to land him on the team. This is because the team knows that having big names around plays a decisive role in making a successful team.
Who can accompany Carlos Sainz at Audi?
Although the final Audi lineup remains speculative, rumors have it that Bottas will have a seat with the team. The Finnish driver joined the Swiss team from Mercedes back in 2022 and he’s willing to stay back, at least for now.
Talking to Crash.net, the former Mercedes star stated that he has many years to give the sport. Bottas is willing to stay in F1 for as long as he can enjoy it and give something back to the sport, he further asserted.
Terming Audi’s entrance as “exciting“, Bottas said it’s still far away, so he would love to make up his mind in one or two years. Another name in the whispers is Mick Schumacher’s. Given he’s a German, going into the German team would be big for the sponsors, but that’s not the lookout for Audi officials, for now.
Audi to take over Sauber by 2026
The German giants are getting ready to acquire Sauber as they have already taken an undisclosed stake in the team back in January this year. The stake is expected to increase in 2024 and will be maximum by 2026.
With the task of increasing its squad strength before the entire transition takes place, the Stuttgart-based company is doing its best to find ground in the extremely competitive sport. Currently, Sauber is the ninth-largest team when it comes to manpower.
Since the workforce is very essential when it comes to being competitive, Audi will try to do their best to take the top talents from the sport. One such move was when Andreas Seidl joined Sauber from McLaren at the beginning of this season so that he could look over the transition in the future.
