Audi is set to enter Formula 1 for the first time next year, taking over the Sauber-run team as the sport moves into a new era under fresh technical regulations. The project is ambitious, with Audi building its own power unit and Jonathan Wheatley, a former Red Bull sporting director, running the team’s day-to-day operations. Earlier this week, Audi also revealed a concept livery for its debut season.

Verstappen has been at the centre of driver market speculation this summer, with rumours linking him to a move from Red Bull to Mercedes. However, he has remained committed to Red Bull, with his contract running until the end of 2028. Wheatley knows Verstappen well, having worked with him for many years, from his teenage days at Toro Rosso to becoming a multiple-time world champion.

Looking ahead to Audi’s 2026 debut, Wheatley confirmed that the team will maintain its current driver line-up, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto continuing. Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Wheatley said a driver of Verstappen’s calibre would naturally be a desired signing for Audi. He added that, although he has a long-standing friendship with Verstappen and his family, the team is not ready to link him to a future seat just yet.

Wheatley stressed that his ambition to sign Verstappen is clear. “What kind of team principal would I be if I didn’t want Max Verstappen to drive our car?” he said. “I’m fortunate to have been friends with Max for a long time, as well as with his father, Jos, and manager, Raymond. But friendship alone isn’t enough to directly link him to Audi right now.”

The team has set its sights on challenging for the F1 World Championship by 2030, a goal that could make Audi an attractive destination for Verstappen once his Red Bull contract ends in 2028. For now, the German manufacturer is focused on building its team and preparing for a debut season in 2026.