Formula 1 driver not named Lewis Hamilton will regret 2025 team change

After losing his spot on the Formula 1 grid in 2019, Nico Hulkenberg has bounced back well. Having spent three seasons with Racing Point/Aston Martin on the sideline, the German driver got another chance in Formula 1 with Haas last year. Since then, Hulkenberg’s performance has been viewed as a career rejuvenation.

More than half of the grid entered the 2024 season with contracts set to expire at the end of the year. Hulkenberg was one of the first to determine his future in Formula 1. The 37-year-old is set to join Sauber next season, and Sauber are then set to become Audi in 2026.

While there is quite a lot of excitement surrounding Audi's impending entrance into the sport, there have been some concerns regarding their preparation. That is supposedly why Carlos Sainz Jr. hesitated to join the German team, despite very strong links to the team dating back to 2023.

Hulkenberg will feel some regret (eventually)

Haas have taken over as the fifth fastest team on the grid this season with continuous improvement, and Hulkenberg was asked about his move to Sauber for next year. He reaffirmed that he has no regrets about his decision and is fully on board with the project.

Under the direction of new team principal Ayao Komatsu, Haas have regained respect from several prominent individuals after many failures occurred with Guenther Steiner at the helm. The new partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing should help take the team even further in terms of testing and development.

With Hulkenberg doing so well in the Haas, especially this season, it seems quite clear that the car is a good fit. As a result, Haas now have a fantastic basis when it comes to developing their car for 2025 and beyond.

Hulkenberg just won't get to be a part of that.

In hindsight, his move to Sauber seems to have been made a bit prematurely, especially due to how poorly Sauber have performed this season. With the duo of Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou in their cars, Sauber remain scoreless and are making a case for one of the worst seasons in Formula 1 history for a constructor.

Whether Audi can turn things around once development for the 2026 car begins is another discussion. However, Hulkenberg will likely be coasting toward the back of the pack next season while Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman are fighting for points every race weekend with Haas.