Mattia Binotto, the head honcho of Audi F1, has recently teased the idea that the popular German brand might band together with its competitors to tackle the dominance of both Mercedes and Ferrari. The official entry of Audi F1 into the grid is slated for next year, following the recent full acquisition of the Sauber team, as confirmed to PlanetF1.com.
Despite Sauber’s current struggles on the track, the expectations for Audi are soaring, thanks to its impressive track record in endurance racing over the past twenty years. Mercedes and Ferrari, two of its main competitors, have cast a wide net of influence over the field. For instance, Mercedes is set to be the engine supplier for three teams—McLaren, Alpine, and Williams—come F1 2026.
On the other hand, Ferrari, the current engine supplier for Sauber, is known for its ‘B team’, the American outfit Haas, gaining a considerable advantage when it comes to important decisions within F1. The same can be said for Red Bull, which has maintained a two-team presence on the grid since 2006, thanks to the Racing Bulls team.
Binotto, who spent nearly thirty years at Ferrari, culminating in his role as team principal, was replaced by Fred Vasseur at the close of the Scuderia’s tumultuous 2022 season. In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, a German publication, Binotto suggested that Audi F1 might extend an olive branch to their rival teams to strengthen their position in the political landscape of F1.
When asked if political alliances were necessary for success in F1, he responded, “That’s a good point. There are a few teams that are not in an alliance. It would be good if these teams formed one.” However, it remains to be seen which teams he was referring to, as most of the grid is tied down for the foreseeable future.
McLaren, Alpine, and Williams are all set to compete under Mercedes power until 2030’s end, while current Mercedes customer Aston Martin is expected to enter a works partnership with the same name next year. The shift to Aston Martin by Honda will see Red Bull teaming up with American powerhouse Ford to develop an F1 2026 power unit.
Ferrari will continue to power Haas until 2028, which was announced last July, with the team also revealing a technical partnership with Toyota as the Japanese manufacturer mulls over a potential F1 comeback. The forthcoming Cadillac F1 team will also run on Ferrari engines and gearboxes from F1 2026, before General Motors brand develops its own power unit, projected to be ready by 2028.
The team dynamics changed last summer when Binotto took over from former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl, who left alongside chairman Oliver Hoffman. Jonathan Wheatley, the long-standing Red Bull sporting director, is tipped to take up the mantle of Audi F1 team principal next month.
