Audi has already ramped up its search for a duo of big-named drivers to race under its banner in the 2026 Formula 1 season. It will be the first time the team has ever raced professionally at any F1 Grand Prix events, so fans are excited to find out who will be representing them on the track.
Will Fernando Alonso race for the Audi F1 team in the 2026 season?
According to reports, Spanish F1 racing driver Fernando Alonso will not drive for Audi – at least not during their maiden season. Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen and England's Lewis Hamilton have also been counted out of the running to become part of Audi's potential driver pairing.
Alonso currently races for Aston Martin after signing a multi-year deal in 2023 that should see him drive alongside teammate Lance Stroll until the end of the 2026 F1 season.
Which drivers will most likely sign for Audi?
According to the experts, the most likely F1 driver to score points first for Audi in 2026 in their inaugural season is either Spain's Carlos Sainz Jr. or Germany's Nico Hulkenberg. Some experts have said that Hulkenberg will most likely be announced as the first driver to join Audi, with Carlos Sainz Jr. being announced as his new teammate later.
Some of the other potential driver pairings that observers have suggested could race for Audi include:
Carlos Sainz Jr. and Valtteri Bottas
Niko Hulkenberg and Valtteri Bottas
Carlos Sainz Jr. and Zhou Guanyu
Niko Hulkenberg and Zhou Guanyu
Valtteri Botas and Zhou Guanyu
Carlos Sainz Jr. is said to be considering an offer from Audi but would rather wait and see how things pan out for Max Verstappen at Red Bull before making his decision.
Verstappen's contract is supposed to run until the end of 2028, but if he were to leave Red Bull, there would be a vacant spot for Carlos Sainz Jr., and this would be his preferred team over Audi.
A closer look at other F1 driver contracts
Lando Norris recently extended his contract with McLaren, which will see him driving for them beyond 2025, while Oscar Piastri's McLaren contract will run until the end of 2026.
English driver George Russell's contract with Mercedes will run until the end of the 2025 F1 season. Lewis Hamilton recently signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari that starts in 2025, while Charles Leclerc's Ferrari deal runs until the end of the 2026 season.
34-year-old Mexican racing driver Sergio Perez, who currently races for Red Bull, recently secured a new two-year contract that will see him driving for this team until the end of the 2026 season.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll is expected to race with the team beyond 2025, and Fernando Alonso's multi-year contract will last until the end of the 2026 season.
Pierre Gasly signed a multi-year contract with Alpine that will also take him up until the end of 2026, and Alex Albon will remain at Williams until around the same time.
Team Red Bull are currently at the top of the F1 constructors' table with 355 points, while Max Verstappen is leading the driver standing table with 237 points.
F1 grand prix races still to come in 2024
The next F1 grand prix to add to your diary is the Dutch GP, which is taking place at the Circuit Zandvoort on Sunday, August 25 at 14:00 GMT.
