Last week, Audi made a big move in the Formula 1 world by signing Hulkenberg to a contract that will have him leave the Haas team after the 2024 season.
This move had been in the works since midway through 2023. There were talks about Hulkenberg possibly joining Sauber for this season, but he ended up staying with Haas for another year. This reunion brings Hulkenberg back with Seidl, with whom he won the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours for Porsche.
Seidl used to be the team principal for the successful Porsche LMP1 squad. Hulkenberg joined them for two races in 2015, at Spa and Le Mans, where he famously won alongside Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber.
When asked about Seidl’s role in getting him to join Sauber, Hulkenberg said, “Yeah, he’s also the driving factor there. One of the key people in the management at Audi. So, of course, it came through him. And he’s a very direct and straightforward guy with me.”
Hulkenberg shared a story from the 2020 F1 season when he was out of a full-time drive and called Seidl, who was then the McLaren team boss, to ask about a potential seat. Seidl was clear that there wasn’t a chance for him then. But this time around, Seidl was eager to sign him.
At the Hard Rock Stadium, Hulkenberg reminisced about his previous season racing for Sauber in 2013. He recalled it being a different experience, especially with the team principal at the time, Monisha Kaltenborn, whom he found difficult to deal with. However, he emphasized that he always enjoyed working with the team members and pushing for performance.
So, joining Audi now marks a significant change for Hulkenberg, compared to his previous experiences in Formula 1.
