Almost two years on from Audi’s official announcement of its Formula 1 entry, the smiles of that day are a long and distant memory.
Its team, still racing under the Sauber banner, is currently sitting last in the constructors’ championship without a single point to its name so far this season.
In fact, it has not finished in the top ten since the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix and there seems little hope of its challenger being able to get there on pace terms in the near future either.
But perhaps worse than the lack of clear results are the optics of the minimal progress that has been made since its Spa announcement as Audi gears up for its F1debut. Efforts at its German engine facility may be flat out, but what is being delivered on track right now is not up to its standards.
Despite the huge financial might of the new owners, the Hinwil operation appears to have lost momentum, and that has sown seeds of doubts about what can be expected from Audi itself in 2026.
At this stage of the season, the team would have hoped to have had its number one target Carlos Sainz locked down to a contract that would tie his future to the German car maker.
Instead, the fact that Sainz was not convinced by what was on offer, and preferred to weigh up options at Williams and Alpine instead, told its own story about why Audi was not the so-called player it wanted to be in the driver market.
That lack of conviction in being able to attract the right driver is understood to have been mirrored when it came to personnel too – for there appeared to be a reluctance from quality staff to join a project they too were not believing in.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO, Formula 1, with Mohammed bin Sulayem, President, FIA, Oliver Hoffmann, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH, Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG showcase the new Audi Sport F1 concept car
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Takeover impact
Audi’s takeover of Sauber was never going to have an immediate impact – especially with its official entry not coming until 2026.
But what perhaps took it, and former CEO Andrea Seidl, by surprise was how the transition phase of the takeover served as a means to frustrate its ambitions.
With former owner Finn Rausing still involved, and his support required for the funding of larger investments, the hands of the team and its CEO Andreas Seidl were pretty much tied – as there was no incentive for Rausing to spend cash on improving something he was no longer going to benefit from.
The situation was likened to someone having sold their car and then being asked to buy some new tyres for it.
Realising the difficulty of its situation, and waking up to the fact that the lack of investment in its infrastructure was going to have long-term consequences if it was not sorted quick, Audi pushed through with an accelerated takeover earlier this year.
The 100% shareholding opened the door for improvements to be made at Hinwil and the first recruitments, which included Stefan Straehnz from Mercedes who will become the new programme director.
Other additions have included former-Red Bull and McLaren man Stefano Sordo and Red Bull’s former chief mechanic Lee Stevenson.
Oliver Hoffmann, Audi AG Formula 1 General Representative, Andreas Seidl, CEO Audi F1 team, and Nicola Buck, BP SVP marketing
Photo by: Audi
But while the restraints on investment had been lifted, the team’s ongoing lack of competitiveness on track became a growing concern for Audi.
And while Seidl’s focus was deliberately on the plans for 2026, so performance on track now was an irrelevance, it was fast becoming obvious that there were long-term consequences for the current dip of form.
The attraction for any of the drivers or staff Audi was chasing in being part of a major works effort was being tainted by the prospect of being at the back of the grid for 2025 – and no guarantee of a transformative performance the year after.
So, while some believed Sauber now and Audi in the future could effectively be treated as two separate eras that had a clear transition in 2026, their fates were fast becoming entwined.
It has also been suggested that things were not helped in recent weeks by a power struggle between Seidl and the newly arrived Oliver Hoffmann.
Having come from the Audi operation and having been moved across to the F1 project, Hoffmann was said to point the blame to the lack of recent development falling under Seidl’s remit.
From Seidl’s perspective, having had free reign to get on with the project since he was signed at the end of 2022, the arrival of Hoffmann only served to add unnecessary complexity and politics to the situation.
Things appeared very complex. But, whatever was really going on behind closed doors, the end result is that Audi’s senior management grew tired of it – and felt that the squabbling had to stop.
And its response was probably a surprise to both, because it did not take sides on the matter. Instead, it got rid of both Seidl and Hoffmann and installed former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto to head things up.
Oliver Hoffmann AUDI AG’s commitment to Formula 1 as Chief Representative and Lee Stevenson, Chief Mechanic, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
A line in the sand
The scale of change in appointing Binotto is significant, but one that is entirely logical.
Binotto, who left Ferrari at the end of 2022, had been speaking to several teams about opportunities to return to the F1 paddock – but the Audi project is the one that makes the most sense for him and his new bosses.
The make-up of the Audi operation is similar to Ferrari in many respects: a works operation for a major car manufacturer that produces both its own chassis and power unit.
Binotto, who also previously served as technical director of engine and chassis at Ferrari, has vast experience of what is needed to succeed in F1 – and how to get the most out of staff and facilities.
What the new structure also means, and this is something that Audi highlighted in its press release, is that it has someone on board who is focused entirely on its best interests.
There is no longer the situation of management juggling conflicts between Sauber and Audi, or what is happening now versus two years’ times.
Seidl, having arrived at the start of 2023, had to permanently balance the demands of the current Sauber operation against the longer-term ambitions.
But as the current struggles began to impact those future hopes, it was clear Audi felt that it could no longer carry on with such a split personality approach to things.
Now Binotto is in charge and reports directly and only to Audi.
As Audi CEO Gernot Doellner, who will also now become chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber, said: “Our aim is to bring the entire Formula 1 project up to F1 speed by means of clear management structures, defined responsibilities, reduced interfaces, and efficient decision-making processes. For this purpose, the team must be able to act independently and quickly.”
Mattia Binotto, Team Principal, Ferrari, arrives at the track with Carlos Sainz, Ferrari F1-75
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Binotto does not start until August 1, but it is clear that time is of the essence now. There will not be a honeymoon period to sit back and take stock of how things look before taking action.
Audi needs to move fast to ensure it is in the best shape possible for 2026, and it has to turn around what has happened on track so far this season.
There could be a new team principal brought in (rumours about Mike Krack’s recruitment keep on bubbling away despite denials from the man himself), and there will likely be a huge recruitment drive unleashed.
And do not rule out Binotto reaching out to Sainz to have another attempt to get a deal across the line. And if he succeeds with that, it could be the exact vote of confidence needed to get the Audi project back on track.
Additional reporting Frederick Hackbarth and Roberto Chinchero
