Audi wants to invite Max Verstappen.
Next year Sauber will become Audi’s works team, for which Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriele Bortoleto will continue to race. However, team principal Jonathan Wheatley is already thinking about a more distant prospect and wants to invite Max Verstappen, whom he knows well from working together at Red Bull Racing.
Jonathan Wheatley: "Yes, I want Max to drive our car. What kind of team principal would I be if I didn't want that?
I’m fortunate in that I have long been friends not only with Max, but also with his father Jos and his manager Raymond. Such a friendship constantly develops thanks to the honesty and trust that you never betray.
However, I do not believe that now is the right moment to directly link Verstappen to a seat behind the wheel of an Audi in Formula 1."
Verstappen's contract with Red Bull Racing runs until the end of 2028. However, many experts are convinced that if the Milton Keynes team has an uncompetitive car in 2026, Max could be in another team as early as 2027.
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Audi wants to invite Max Verstappen.
Next year Sauber will become Audi's factory team, for which Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will continue to race. However, team principal Jonathan Whitley is already thinking about the longer-term outlook and wants to invite Max Verstappen.