Going forward
It’s hard to avoid the feeling that Sauber are effectively in a holding pattern until they become Audi’s works outfit in 2026. That said, they really need to show some signs of progress ahead of the German manufacturer’s arrival.
Much of the news around the team has been dominated by personnel changes with former Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto joining in August as Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer, following on from the exits of CEO Andreas Seidl and Audi executive Oliver Hoffmann, while Jonathan Wheatley will become Team Principal of the Audi F1 outfit.
Binotto’s influence has been clear since he arrived, including in the brand new driver line-up the team will be fielding in 2025. While the experienced hands of Nico Hulkenberg had already been signed before the Italian’s arrival, the addition of F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto alongside the German is very much Binotto’s choosing.
2025 F1 GRID: All the driver and team line-ups confirmed so far
Getting those two drivers up to speed and embedded within the team as quickly as possible will be vital next year, but so will instilling a winning mentality. Binotto admitted as much in the press conference on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend saying: “I think that team in the last years and decade has been there surviving, in a survival mode.
“So, at the end, it was about surviving, participating, trying to get the best out of it. But a winning mentality, a winning mindset, it’s a different approach. So, there is certainly a lot that needs to be done in terms of culture, in terms of behaviours.”
No doubt the future Audi F1 project promises to be a truly exciting one – but the work in 2025 could be crucial in deciding where on the grid the team will be battling for places.
