Valtteri Bottas has acknowledged that Sauber has experienced instability amidst the recent management changes at Audi. The news of Audi’s entrance into Formula 1 has raised concerns about the stability of the current Sauber-run team. Audi’s decision to make changes to its management structure less than 18 months before their F1 debut has raised eyebrows. Andreas Seidl, who was overseeing the Audi transition, has been replaced by Oliver Hoffmann, while Mattia Binotto, former Ferrari boss, has taken on the roles of Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer. Bottas recognizes that it will take time for Binotto to make his mark on the team and address its weaknesses and strengths. He believes that the team should not be greatly affected in the short term but acknowledges that the future may bring changes.
Binotto’s appointment has arrived with Sauber struggling at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship as the only team to have not earned a single point in 14 races.
However, while he acknowledges that Binotto’s main focus will be preparing for Audi’s arrival, Bottas is insistent that Sauber’s current competitiveness cannot be disregarded.
When asked about Binotto’s priorities in assessing the Sauber/Audi team, Bottas responded, “I don’t want to go into too much detail.
“Some things are internal, but we are aware that compared to the larger teams at the moment, we are still lacking in terms of personnel.
“We could use more staff, but the team has recently been hiring and expanding quite a bit.
“There are specific areas that we definitely need to concentrate on, both at the factory and in terms of car performance.
“At the moment, we are not where we need to be, and that is why we needed some new upgrades in the right direction.”
Sauber refuted Bottas’ evaluation earlier this season that the anticipation of Audi’s arrival was distracting from the team’s on-track efforts.
When asked if he felt that it was operating as two separate entities, the former Mercedes driver replied, “I wouldn’t say it feels like two separate teams.
“Yes, there has been another change, and now everyone needs to get to know Mattia better. I am looking forward to actually starting to work with him.
“But no, it still feels like one team. As I mentioned, it hasn’t been very stable lately. But hopefully, from now on, things will be a bit more stable and there will be a clear direction.”
Photo by Valtteri Bottas Instagram
