Mattia Binotto responded to rumors linking Carlos Sainz or Oscar Piastri to Audi, while reaffirming his satisfaction with his current duo composed of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.
While the arrival of one of the two drivers does not seem to be on the agenda, the head of Audi considers these speculations as a sign of the growing credibility of the German project in Formula 1.
The name of Sainz regularly comes up due to the in-depth discussions he had with Audi in 2024, after the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s recruitment by Ferrari.
Hülkenberg and Bortoleto provide satisfaction
The Spaniard ultimately chose Williams, with whom he secured two podiums in his first season, but the difficulties faced by the team in 2026 have revived questions about his future. The Piastri option, on the other hand, seems much more hypothetical, the Australian being contracted with McLaren.
Binotto nevertheless assures he does not give much importance to these rumors: “First of all, I don’t read the newspapers myself, or very little anyway, so it’s you who tell me about them,” explains the Italian. He nevertheless acknowledges that a rapprochement with Sainz seems logical given their past relations. “Carlos is certainly someone I know very well and so it is quite easy and obvious to associate him with Audi. But all I can say is that I am very satisfied with the driver duo we have.”
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Binotto is particularly satisfied with the performances of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto. Their pairing is often presented as a balance between the experience of the German and the youth of the Brazilian, but the manager prefers to highlight their pure speed: “Often, when people talk about Gabriel and Nico, I hear that it is a good mix between experience on one side and a young driver on the other. I would judge them differently. They are two very fast drivers and I am happy because they are both fast. So we have a good duo.”
Increasing credibility
Far from considering the rumors surrounding Sainz, Piastri, or other drivers as a source of distraction, Binotto even sees a positive development for Audi.
“The fact that other drivers are linked to our team can only please me, because it shows that the credibility of our project is improving,” he rejoices. “It shows that, from the outside, the idea that we could become competitive one day is no longer a rumor, but a reality.”
Audi therefore does not publicly plan to shake up its line-up immediately. But for Binotto, the mere fact that established drivers are now regularly linked to the team already proves that the project is gaining attractiveness in the paddock.
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