Bortoleto says Audi seat secure through 2027 and beyond
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 18, 2026
Bortoleto contract security
Gabriel Bortoleto said he will be with Audi in 2027 and beyond, and he shut down the speculation that has swirled around his seat as Formula 1 prepares to resume at Zandvoort this weekend. Bortoleto said his Audi contract has no early-exit clauses, and he said it does not include any clause that would let Carlos Sainz replace him next season. That left him drawing a clear line around his future with the team. He said the seat is his, and he said the contract gives him that security without any carveout for an early move. Bortoleto dismissed the chatter rather than feeding it, a direct response that matched the confidence he has shown in talking about his place in Audi’s plans. The message was simple. He sees his future tied to the team, and he said there is no opening in the deal for a sudden change of course before the next phase of the season.
Audi long-term plan
Bortoleto also described Audi’s Formula 1 program as a long-term project through 2030, a timeline that matches what Mattia Binotto has discussed for the operation. The driver’s place in that project runs back to 2025, when he joined Sauber and stayed with the team as it became Audi’s works operation. His first season with the new-era outfit has already produced the bulk of its points. Through the first 11 rounds of the 2026 season, Bortoleto scored 10 of Audi’s 12 points and sat 14th in the standings. That output has come with two finishes that stand at the top of Audi’s year so far, eighth in Belgium and eighth at Silverstone. Those results gave Audi something concrete to build on while the broader program keeps moving toward the longer horizon Bortoleto described. He has been the main source of points for the team to this stage, and he has done it while settling into a structure that is still taking shape around him.
Hulkenberg teammate support
Bortoleto also made clear he would be happy to keep Nico Hulkenberg as his teammate, and Hulkenberg matched that tone when asked about the talk around the lineup. He called the speculation “typical summer F1 noise” and said the team is happy with both drivers. Bortoleto said his seat is filled before Formula 1 resumes at Zandvoort this weekend, a line that reinforced how firmly he views his place at Audi. The pairing has already delivered Audi’s best results of the year, with Bortoleto’s back-to-back eighth-place finishes in Belgium and at Silverstone. Hulkenberg’s reaction suggested the team wants the discussion to stop there and the focus to stay on the track. For now, Bortoleto says the contract is secure, the partnership is intact and the team’s driver plan does not need a reset.
