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Bumpy Road to F1: Audi’s Transition from Sauber Faces Leadership Changes and Location Challenges

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 9, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Hamilton Expresses Joy Over Ferrari Performance During F1 Pre-Season Testing

Formula One F1 - Pre Season Testing - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - February 26, 2025 Sauber operating and technical officer Mattia Binotto during testing REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

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As Sauber embarks on its final lap in Formula One, the transition to becoming the Audi works team from 2026 has hit a rough patch, according to renowned commentator David Croft. The saga, which began with Audi’s agreement to take over Sauber in 2022, has been a protracted and bumpy ride, marked by significant staff reshuffles and strategic shifts.

Andreas Seidl, who initially came on board as the CEO of Sauber Motorsport, was later appointed as the CEO of Audi’s F1 operations. However, the German’s tenure was short-lived. Only four months into the role, Seidl was released from the team amidst whispers of an ongoing feud with Oliver Hoffmann, the former Audi head of development turned chief representative of the F1 project.

The upheaval didn’t end there. With both Seidl and Hoffmann out of the picture, Audi brought in former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto to assume the dual role of COO and CTO. Under Binotto’s helm, Jonathan Wheatley, the long-term Red Bull director, was signed on as the team principal of the F1 team. But even this move comes with its own caveat – Wheatley won’t be joining the team until July at the earliest.

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Analysing these developments, Croft expressed concerns over the not-so-smooth transition. He pointed out that ever since Nico Hulkenberg was signed by Seidl, the CEO’s seat has witnessed a shuffle. He also highlighted the fact that they would be without a team principal until April.

Adding to the woes is the location of the team’s base. Hinwil, a town in Switzerland, is a stumbling block in the Audi project, according to Croft. He revealed that Audi intends to relocate operations to the UK, where a majority of the F1 teams are based. The relocation is seen as a strategic move to tap into the talent pool in the UK, given that convincing staff to move to Switzerland, an expensive country, is no easy task.

The performance of the Audi engine remains a mystery, but there is undeniable pressure on the team to avoid falling to the back of the grid. On a positive note, Croft believes Hulkenberg’s experience and car development skills will prove invaluable to the team. Additionally, the selection of Gabriel Bortoleto, a promising driver who could draw sponsorship from Brazil, is seen as a good move.

In 2021, it was announced that Audi would be given additional room within the F1’s budget cap to compensate for the high salary levels in countries like Switzerland where the costs are 35 to 45 per cent higher than in the UK or Italy. The decision was made to prevent teams from being handicapped due to operating in countries with high labour costs, according to FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis.

As Sauber gears up for its swansong season in F1, the road to becoming Audi is proving to be full of twists and turns. Despite these challenges, the hope is for a better year and a smooth transition to Audi, paving the way for a new era in Formula One.

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