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Hülkenberg to compete for Audi in Formula 1 from 2026 Andreas Seidl: “Nico’s determination and desire will help us move forward” The course for Audi’s Formula 1 project continues to be set. Following the announcement of the complete takeover of the Sauber Group to accelerate preparations for the brand’s entry into F1, the first driver has now been confirmed: Nico Hülkenberg has signed a multi-year contract with Sauber and will start for the Audi factory team in 2026. He will be driving for Sauber as early as 2025 and accompany the transformation to the factory team, as the Swiss company announced today. With his experience of more than 200 F1 races, the German will make an important contribution to the development phase of Audi’s future team: “The signing of Nico is the next milestone for Audi’s Formula 1 project. With his speed, his experience and his dedicated teamwork, he will make an important contribution to Audi’s entry in 2026 as early as next year,” says Andreas Seidl, CEO of the future Audi F1 factory team. “Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in tackling a project of this uniqueness together. Nico is a strong personality, his determination and desire on a professional and personal level will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team.” Nico Hülkenberg says: “The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it’s a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honor for me.” The appointment of Nico Hülkenberg follows the plan announced in March to take over Sauber completely and the appointment of Oliver Hoffmann as General Representative of the Board of Management of Audi for the Formula 1 commitment.

Promising Brazilian talent will drive alongside Nico Hülkenberg Mattia Binotto: “Ideal combination of experience and youth” Bortoleto: “One of the most exciting projects in motorsport” The driver pairing for Audi’s entry into Formula 1 in 2026 has been set. One of the most promising talents for the future will represent the four rings in the pinnacle of motorsport: Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto (20) will drive alongside German Nico Hülkenberg (37) for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber next year, which will transform into the Audi F1 factory team in 2026. The experienced Hülkenberg, who was confirmed in April, and the promising F1 rookie Bortoleto form a well-matched driver pairing for Audi’s Formula 1 project. Hailing from São Paulo, Bortoleto made a strong impression in 2023 by dominating his debut season and winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship. He is currently leading the FIA Formula 2 Championship standings. His career began at the age of six in karting, and by twelve, he had moved to Europe with his family to pursue his Formula 1 dream. Joining the future Audi F1 factory team now gives Bortoleto the opportunity to show his talent at the highest level of motorsport. The team already confirmed German driver Nico Hülkenberg for the upcoming season back in April. With a balanced mix of experience and youth, the team is preparing for the transition to the Audi F1 factory team in 2026. Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG: “We are currently witnessing a generational shift in Formula 1, with young drivers immediately making an impact. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents. His signing underscores Audi’s long-term strategy and commitment to Formula 1.” Mattia Binotto, COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport AG: “Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver. We are very pleased that he will become a team member of Sauber and Audi.

Audi has made an adjustment to the management structure of its Formula 1 project. In addition to his existing duties as Head of Audi F1 Project, Mattia Binotto will also assume the responsibilities of Team Principal. Jonathan Wheatley is leaving the Audi Revolut F1 Team with immediate effect for personal reasons.

Audi Revolut F1 Team Mattia Binotto Head of Audi F1 Project and Team Principal James Key Technical Director Drivers Nico Hulkenberg Driver at Audi Revolut F1 Team Gabriel Bortoleto Driver at Audi Revolut F1 Team Neuburg: F1 Power Unit made in Germany Stefan Dreyer Spokesperson of the management board and CTO of Audi Formula Racing GmbH Christian Foyer COO of Audi Formula Racing GmbH Recent photos and videos Audi Revolut F1 Team: Chinese Grand Prix Audi Revolut F1 Team: Australian Grand Prix Audi Revolut F1 Team: Pre-Season Testing Bahrain adidas x Audi Revolut F1 Team collecttion Audi Revolut F1 Team: Shakedown Barcelona Audi Revolut F1 Team: Launch event in Berlin Reveal event „Audi One“ in Munich

In addition, the collection includes exclusive merchandise from the team’s two drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. Several limited‑edition special drops released throughout the season further expand the collection – bold statements that celebrate style, culture and the evolving identity of Audi Revolut F1 Team. Audi Revolut F1 Team and adidas presented their official teamwear in Berlin in January. The high-quality functional clothing incorporates the latest adidas technologies and includes technical pieces tailored to the needs of the entire team. Each item is precisely developed for its specific purpose: performance-driven athletic wear for the drivers, stylish and ergonomically designed garments for long days at the racetrack for the engineers, and durable, function-optimized pieces that support the mechanics in their demanding tasks. The subtle gray and chalk tones are derived from the titanium-colored paintwork of the Audi R26. Red accents, typical of the overall visual appearance of Audi in Formula 1, serve as a connecting element. The complete collection, with its two lines, Teamwear and Fanwear, will be available from February 19 via the new e-commerce portal of Audi Revolut F1 Team, at adidas.com/motorsport, and from selected adidas and Audi retail partners. Recommendations Motorsport,Formula 1,Audi Revolut F1 Team,adidas

On Thursday evening, Audi Revolut F1 Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto unveiled the new Audi RS 5 at the Albert Park Circuit. Just two weeks after its world premiere, this car marks a bold new era. It is the first RS model with a hybrid drive – a parallel to the new generation of Formula 1 racing cars, whose power output is almost 50 percent electric. The close connection between the brand’s sportiest models and motorsport is shown in a film in which the new Audi RS 5 drives around the Formula 1 track at Albert Park while connected to engineers from Audi Revolut F1 Team in Mission Control back home. One historic Audi race car provided a spine-tingling moment. For the Formula 1 debut, Audi Tradition brought the legendary Audi R8 with a crocodile design out of the museum. This car won the “Race of a Thousand Years” in Adelaide, Australia, on December 31, 2000.

With the recent announcement of Gabriel Bortoleto (20) who will race alongside Nico Hülkenberg (37), the program has taken the next important step. The announcement of the complete takeover of Sauber in March and the appointment of Mattia Binotto as CTO and COO of the project and Jonathan Wheatley as team principal from the middle of next year are expressions of the determination of the Audi brand. The investment will add to a list of important milestones in the near future. Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG: “The investment by QIA reflects the trust and confidence the Audi F1 Project has already garnered, underscoring unwavering commitment of Audi to the initiative. This additional capital will accelerate the team’s growth and is yet another milestone on our long-term strategy. QIA’s involvement further energizes the dedicated efforts at both the Hinwil and Neuburg facilities as they work towards the entry of Audi in 2026.” Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA: “Audi is a premium partner of choice with a rich motorsport legacy. As a long-standing investor in the Volkswagen Group, we believe in Audi’s vision and direction when entering Formula 1 and our investment will support the realization of this goal. QIA believes that Formula 1 is a sport with significant untapped investment potential. The increasing commercialization of professional sports as an entertainment offering globally, and the increasingly global popularity of Formula 1, has made for an exciting opportunity for our first major motorsports investment.” The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

In addition to the race livery and other partners, Team Principal, Jonathan Wheatley, and Mattia Binotto, Head of Audi F1 Project, also presented the new team clothing and driver overalls in Berlin, which the two Audi drivers Gabriel Bortoleto (Brazil) and Nico Hülkenberg (Germany) will wear in the 2026 season. The team’s accompanying fan collection will be available via the team’s website and adidas from February 19. It is part of a carefully coordinated overall visual identity: a unique corporate identity, including specific colors and a new font family, was developed for Audi Revolut F1 Team, giving the team a distinct identity from its appearance at the racetrack to its presence on social media, while still being unmistakably Audi. The color Titanium references the company’s motorsport tradition and represents performance and technical precision. In addition, the newly introduced Audi Red is a distinguishing feature of the team. The staging in the unique architecture of the former ‘Mitte’ heating plant on Tuesday evening gave guests a preview of the visual appearance – including an immersive show, historic Audi race cars, and the most powerful Audi production vehicle. The Audi RS e-tron GT performance is almost as powerful as the Audi R26 from Formula 1, with a system output of 680 kW (925 hp). The next major milestone for Audi Revolut F1 Team will be the shakedown of the new generation Formula 1 cars, which will take place behind closed doors at Barcelona from January 26 to 30. During the official test sessions in Bahrain (February 11–13 and February 18–20), the Audi R26 will complete its final test laps before the first participation of Audi in a Formula 1 Grand Prix.