Théo Pourchaire still in the running for a seat in F1 at Audi

Some time ago, young driver Théo Pourchaire, 2022 F2 champion, gave up his seat in IndyCar to Nolan Siegel at Arrow McLaren. An unexpected announcement that came just after the team signed the French driver for the season to replace an injured driver: Davis Malukas.

Still without a place in F1 for this year 2024 despite the efforts of the Sauber Academy of which he is a part and his title acquired in Formula 2 last year, Pourchaire could still find a seat in F1 at Audi in 2026. A coveted spot by many drivers. At the moment, only Nico Hülkenberg has been confirmed in the Swiss Hinwill team in 2025, but Audi, which now owns the team, has not officially announced a second name. Rumors suggest that Carlos Sainz Jr is the key to many transfers.

In this situation, it would be wise not to exclude him, confirms Alessandro Alunni Bravi about Théo Pourchaire.

In competition with Liam Lawson

Audi, who will take over from the Stake F1 Kick Sauber team in 2026, seems to be looking for experienced drivers. Liam Lawson could also be an option on the team’s list according to the team principal. « He has done races, he is in an environment that has proven to be solid for young drivers like Red Bull and RB. He is a good driver. I cannot say more because I do not know him personally. I can only judge from the outside, but there are elements that show he has the potential to become a Formula 1 driver. » admits Bravi to The Race about Lawson.

An uncertain future

For the moment, Sauber seems to be focused on finding a spot for Theo Pourchaire in Indycar. When questioned about this, Alessandro Alunni Bravi confirms that his priority is to place the French driver in a team for the 2025 season, but the difficulty seems to lie in financial means. The team director does not want Theo Pourchaire to become a paying driver and prefers to find him a spot based on his abilities. He acknowledges that this could expedite the process, but once a driver becomes a paying one, it is difficult to stop, and it could seriously jeopardize his career. The official has already confirmed to the media that some teams are already interested.

For a future in F1, nothing is less certain. Although Théo Pourchaire is a reserve driver for the Sauber team, Audi prefers to evaluate the different options available to them. We know what he can bring to the team. We know his worth. For us, it’s a question of medium and long-term strategy for Audi in terms of the driver lineup and whether he fits into this strategy or not. And that depends on many factors,” admits Bravi. Unfortunately, the French driver is not the only one on the list of possibilities. Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz are still being considered by the team for 2026. So we will have to wait for a definite answer.