F1 News: Hulkenberg ‘neutral’ over Schumacher as Audi teammate
(GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says he is staying “completely neutral” about whether Audi-owned Sauber should sign up Mick Schumacher for 2025.
Insiders left Singapore after the most recent grand prix convinced that Valtteri Bottas was about to be re-signed.
But Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for Blick newspaper, says the 34-year-old Finn is now hesitating to accept an offer of a mere one-year contract.
“What seemed to be just a formality is now Bottas wanting more after three years of being rewarded with millions,” he said.
“How long can he continue to gamble, having not scored any points in 28 races? IndyCar would be a step-down, and they certainly wouldn’t allow him to set up a gin shop in the paddock.”
The major German newspaper Bild also suspects Bottas is dithering over the terms of his proposed 2025 Sauber deal.
“According to our information, Mick was no longer part of new team boss Mattia Binotto’s plans. Valtteri Bottas was supposed to be staying for another year. The contract had already been prepared,” said correspondents Claudia Bothmann, Enrico Ahlig and Michel Milewski.
“But Bottas is gambling for too much money,” they added. “If the veteran sticks to his high demands, Mick Schumacher could be back in the game.”
Binotto revealed this week that Schumacher is “definitely” an option for 2025, and that he has met with the 25-year-old former Haas driver recently.
In conversation with FAZ newspaper, he responded to claims that Schumacher is perhaps not the fastest driver in the Formula 1 paddock.
“On some tracks he needs a few more attempts to set the fastest lap,” Binotto admitted. “But you have to judge a driver not only by how fast they are, but also by their attitude.”
Current Haas driver Hulkenberg, 37, was signed up by Audi-Sauber for 2025 and beyond way back in April. Schumacher as his teammate would complete a tempting all-German driver lineup.
“The Audi factory team will probably fuel a little interest in Germany again,” Hulkenberg told Sport1. “German manufacturer, German driver, and of course a German GP would be desirable for a car nation.”
However, he was not prepared to say if he would prefer Bottas or Schumacher as his 2025 teammate.
“I have no agenda – I am completely neutral,” the German insists. “Firstly, I have no say in the matter, and secondly, the people in charge at Audi will decide which driver duo will deliver the best performance. I will not interfere with that.”
Hulkenberg explained that he is not thinking very much about his 2025 project at all just yet.
“There’s not much I can do at the moment,” he said. “There’s not much I can influence that much and it’s not my job. I’m still 100 percent at Haas and want to end this chapter as successfully and as positively as possible. So all my energy and focus is on Haas.”