Ahead of what is expected to be a pretty intense silly season as drivers vie for the best cockpits, Audi has found itself at the centre of the market talk as it looks for the stars that it wants to carry into its debut campaign in 2026. Its approach has become especially intriguing after Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko revealed ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix that his squad found itself unable to compete with a 'lucrative' offer that had been made to Carlos Sainz.
' Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari, and Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Alunni Bravi did not want to be drawn on where things stood specifically with Sainz, as he said others revealing details about what may or may not be happening was part of a 'game' to get the best deals.