Nico Hülkenberg, the Formula One driver currently with Haas, has signed a multi-year deal with Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026. This move means that one of Sauber’s current drivers, Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu, will leave the team at the end of the season. It also opens up a seat at Haas for next year, and the favorite to join the team is British youngster Oliver Bearman.
Hülkenberg’s move to Sauber comes after enjoying a resurgence in his career since joining Haas in 2023. He has scored 13 points in 27 races and has consistently started in the top ten. His performance has caught the attention of Sauber, who sees him as a valuable addition to their team.
In other Formula One news, there have been discussions about changing the points structure in the sport. The proposed change would expand the points payout to 12th place, as opposed to the current system that awards points to the top ten finishers. This change would benefit smaller teams, known as backmarkers, who often finish outside the top ten but still contribute to the sport.
To analyze the potential impact of this change, the proposed points system was applied to the past five seasons. The results showed that while there were clear winners from points being allocated to 11th and 12th place, it did not significantly affect teams moving up in the standings. Only two seasons would have seen multiple final standings positions change hands. Overall, this new system tends to benefit the best of the backmarkers rather than the worst cars on the grid.
However, battles for 11th and 12th place could result in at least one championship position swap per season, which would lead to a bigger prize money payout for smaller teams. This change could also create more excitement and competition in the midfield battles.
Moving on to the Chinese Grand Prix, Red Bull caught people’s attention not only because Max Verstappen won with a significant margin but also because they executed two seamless double stack pit stops. A double stack pit stop is when both cars from a team pit back-to-back, requiring more team members and coordination. Red Bull’s success in these pit stops demonstrates the importance of following procedures and routines to get it right.
It’s worth noting that pit stops involve more than 20 people, and any mistake can have a significant impact on a team’s performance. Perfect pit stops require everyone to work together flawlessly within a matter of seconds.
In other news, there are rumors that Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s global chief technical officer and one of the greatest car designers in F1 history, may be leaving the team. Newey played a crucial role in designing the RB19, which led to Red Bull’s dominant performance in 2023.
Overall, these recent developments in Formula One highlight the ongoing changes and challenges within the sport. Driver transfers, potential points system changes, and the importance of pit stops all contribute to the excitement and competitiveness of Formula One racing.