Excited Sauber with the complete acquisition of the Formula 1 team by the German automaker Audi. Instead of initially acquiring a 75% stake in the Hinwill-based team, Audi confirmed that it will take over the team completely. Oliver Hoffmann, former member of the Audi board, was appointed as the general representative of the Audi F1 project, while Andreas Seidl was named CEO of Audi F1. Sauber, currently facing difficulties in terms of performance, hopes that Audi’s announcement will bring the necessary boost to make its last two seasons as an independent team successful. Xevi Pujolar, head of track engineering, believes that the acquisition is encouraging for the future and emphasizes the importance of preparing the team for the transition while remaining competitive in the present.
Sauber’s performance has declined since the promising start of the current generation of ground-effect aerodynamic regulations in F1 in 2022. The Sauber C43 car did little to improve the team’s fortunes last season, resulting in a ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship with only 16 points. The 2024 season started with two races and no points scored, with the C44 car facing race pace difficulties on different types of tires. The team also faced operational errors during pit stops for both drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, adding further challenges. Bottas recognizes the need to improve both pace and operational aspects, and believes that the imminent arrival of Audi will serve as motivation to drive the team in a positive direction.
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