The Formula 1 drivers’ market is currently more active than ever, with the majority of the grid staring into an uncertain future. Lewis Hamilton initially kick-started the proceedings with a stellar multi-million dollar deal with Ferrari followed by his rival Fernando Alonso’s contract extension with Aston Martin. Furthermore, with just over eight months left in 2024, the drivers’ market is all set to become a lot more chaotic, and Nico Hulkenberg could be the next in line to announce his decision.
Hulkenberg has proved to be one of the fastest drivers on the grid, delivering consistently good performances in the underwhelming Haas F1 team. Despite the American outfit struggling to build a competitive car, Hulkenberg has more often than not battled against the likes of VCARB, Sauber, Williams, and Alpine. Amid such an optimistic run with Haas, the German driver may have already accepted an offer from Sauber (soon-to-be renamed Audi) for the next season.
🚨| Sky Sports Germany suggests that Nico Hulkenberg is on the verge of signing a contract to drive for Audi from 2025.
The contract will be for 3 years which will see him drive for the team until the end of the 2027 season. #F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/W7EUMHwSBN
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 25, 2024
According to Sky Germany, Hulkenberg will soon sign a three-year contract with Audi until the end of 2027. While that is brilliant news for Hulkenberg, the attention now pans to Ferrari’s reserve driver, Oliver Bearman.
Will Oliver Bearman secure a full-time F1 seat for 2025?
The 18-year-old British driver made his Formula 1 debut earlier this year at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. What’s fascinating about this race is that Bearman barely had any time to adapt to the car and only earned an hour of running in the third practice session. Soon after, the Briton joined a highly competitive pack for an enthralling qualifying session.
What followed was an impressive hour of showing for Bearman, as he missed out on a deserving Q3 appearance. To solidify his portfolio, Bearman pulled off an insane fightback on Sunday and came home in P7, claiming six crucial points for Ferrari. However, unfortunately for Bearman, Ferrari has no vacant spots for the next couple of seasons, thanks to the Hamilton signing.
2024 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia (Race):
🇬🇧 Oliver Bearman [🇮🇹 Scuderia Ferrari]
🔀 overtakes
🇯🇵 Yuki Tsunoda [🇮🇹 Toro Rosso 😉]
(Lap 10/50)📹👁️ onboard w/ telemetry 📊
🏅 Overtake of the Month (March)👦 Youngest driver in Ferrari history
⚔️ First F1 overtake in a career@F1… pic.twitter.com/LNJE0FQ3PT— Greg Chip (@GregChip23) April 9, 2024
But, that’s not the end of the world for the young British driver. The Maranello outfit is keen on getting Bearman a full-time seat in Formula 1 by 2025, and the only team that seems like a viable option is Haas, especially with the latest development on Hulkenberg. The German’s absence could be a huge blow for Haas, as Bearman stands tall as potentially the only driver capable of filling the void.
If at all Haas refuses to sign Bearman, the 18-year-old has teams like Audi and Alpine on standby. Therefore, can Bearman make use of the chaos and earn a place on the grid for 2025?
Sara Chavan