Nico Hulkenberg has been officially confirmed as a driver for Stake next season as the Swiss team prepares to morph into Audi in 2026.

Simultaneous press releases from Haas and Stake confirmed what has been widely speculated for several weeks.

Hulkenberg returned to F1 'full-time' in 2023 with Haas F1 Team after a three-year absence from the sport other than a number of appearances for Racing Point and Aston Martin that earned him the nickname 'super sub'. The German currently sits 13th in the drivers' standings with three top 10 finishes from the opening five rounds of the 2024 season.

"I'd like to extend my thanks to Nico for his contributions to the team in the time that he's been here with us," said Ayao Komatsu, "he's been a great team player and someone we very much enjoy working with.

"His experience and feedback have proved invaluable to us in terms of improving our overall performance - a fact that's clearly evident in both his qualifying and race performances in the VF-24 this season.

"There's lots more racing to go this year so we look forward to continuing to benefit from his inputs throughout the remainder of the 2024 season."

The German has signed a multi-year contract with Stake and, in 2026, will become the first driver for Audi's entry. With experience from over 200 F1 races, Audi sees Hulkenberg as an important building block for the successful development of the team.

In parallel to his commitments for Stake in 2025, he will be closely involved in the development of Audi's first F1 car for 2026.

"We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula One," said Andreas Seidl, CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG and CEO of the future Audi F1 factory team. "With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team - and of Audi's F1 project.

"Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in building something long-term together. Nico is a strong personality, and his input, on a professional and personal level, will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team."

This is not Hulkenberg's first encounter with the Swiss team.

"I'm returning to the team I worked with back in 2013 and have fond memories of the strong team spirit in Switzerland," said the German. "The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula One with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honour for me."

With four titles between 2005 and 2009 in the most important single-seater junior categories, Hulkenberg proved his talent early on. In 2008, he attracted attention during F1 test drives before making his debut in 2010, going on to compete in more than 200 races for seven different teams.

In an unusual move for his generation of drivers, he also competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) during an ongoing Formula One season, in 2015, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans on his debut. His team principal at the time (at Porsche), Andreas Seidl, is looking forward to the reunion.

It is widely anticipated that Carlos Sainz will be named as his Audi teammate.