Audi F1 rejects Sainz and Piastri driver talk

Audi’s Formula 1 leadership has pushed back against speculation that it could pursue Carlos Sainz or Oscar Piastri for a future race seat, stressing that its plan remains centred on its current driver pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.

Mattia Binotto, head of Audi F1, said he is satisfied with the existing line-up and that his work is focused on building around the two drivers already selected. His remarks came as the driver market narrative has been shaped by shifting expectations and perceived instability elsewhere on the grid.

Audi’s position: continuity with Hulkenberg and Bortoleto In an interview with RacingNews365 In an interview with RacingNews365, Binotto said he is “very happy” with Hulkenberg and Bortoleto. He described them as two “very fast drivers” and said their blend of experience and potential aligns with what Audi needs for its longer-term aims in Formula 1. Binotto also acknowledged Sainz’s familiarity, but reiterated that Audi’s working assumption is to continue with its current plan rather than respond to speculation. The message from management was that cohesion and development are being prioritised over any near-term reset. How Audi interprets outside links to its seats Binotto said he views the fact that other drivers are being linked with Audi as a positive indicator for the programme. In his account, that kind of external association signals that the project is gaining credibility.

He added that this perception suggests outsiders believe

Audi can become a strong contender in Formula 1. Even so, he maintained that the organisation’s future operations are being built around the drivers already chosen.

Why Sainz and Piastri have been part of the rumour cycle Sainz has remained part of the conversation partly because he held serious discussions with Audi in 2024 before ultimately joining Williams for 2025. The speculation has also been fuelled by his current situation at Williams, where the team’s 2026 machinery has been described as facing performance issues.

Piastri has been mentioned as a potential target in scenarios where he could leave McLaren. The same rumour chain has also been framed around a possible domino effect if a high-profile driver such as Max Verstappen were to join Piastri’s current team.

Stability over headline moves

Despite repeated links around the wider driver market, Audi’s leadership indicated it believes its competitive trajectory is sufficient to keep its current personnel aligned without immediate intervention. The stance presented was that the team is focused on developing existing talent rather than pursuing high-profile changes prompted by rumour.

For now, Audi’s public position remains consistent: Hulkenberg and Bortoleto are the pairing the project is built around, while external speculation is being treated as background noise rather than a trigger for action.