In 2022, Audi’s long-rumoured entry into F1 became official. The German marque, a titan in endurance racing and engineering innovation, announced it would join the grid in 2026 as a full works team—developing its own power unit and taking over Sauber’s Hinwil-based operation.
With the allure of German precision and Volkswagen Group resources behind them, expectations soared. Three years later, with just six months to go before their debut season, cracks are beginning to show, and questions are mounting.
A vision of integration: Enter Binotto
Audi’s project was always ambitious. From the outset, it was clear they were not interested in entering F1 as a mere engine supplier. Instead, they sought full control: power unit, chassis, team, branding. However, achieving coherence across sites in Hinwil (Switzerland), Neuburg an der Donau (Germany), and the UK-based tech hub has proven more complex than anticipated.
To address this, Audi recently centralised project leadership under Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari team principal. As of May 2025, Binotto has been appointed Head of Audi F1 Project, responsible for the synchronised development of both chassis and powertrain.
“Audi centralises responsibilities in the Formula 1 project,” read the corporate headline. The aim, according to Audi, is “closer coordination between car and powertrain development and greater efficiency through central leadership.” It’s a rational move on paper, and one that hints at previous inefficiencies.
Joining Binotto is Christian Foyer, named COO of Audi Formula Racing GmbH, the division tasked with power unit development. Foyer brings 18 years of F1 engineering experience and replaces Adam Baker, who had played a foundational role since 2022. Although Audi praised Baker’s early contributions, his quiet departure highlights the reality: building an F1 team from scratch is a vastly different proposition from developing a strategic plan.
The Sauber situation: A team in turmoil
Perhaps the most concerning element in Audi F1’s campaign lies not in Neuburg, but Hinwil. The Sauber team, which will be rebranded as Audi in 2026, has struggled visibly on track.
In 2024, the Swiss squad—racing under the Stake F1 moniker—fell into familiar patterns of underperformance. After years of middling results, they found themselves once again flirting with the bottom of the constructors’ table. At one point, a zero-point season loomed.
It is a sharp reversal from their trajectory in the late 2010s, when Alfa Romeo branding and a strategic partnership with Ferrari hinted at a potential revival. But Sauber’s fundamental issues—limited resources, underwhelming technical development, and inconsistent driver line-ups—persisted through various ownership and leadership cycles. Even with Audi’s minority stake acquired in early 2023, the results did not improve.
While the 2003 wind tunnel remains operational, the lack of a modern simulator well into the 2020s is emblematic of a deeper malaise.
Leadership carousel
In theory, Andreas Seidl’s 2023 appointment as CEO of the Sauber Group was a coup. The former McLaren boss brought credibility and structure. But even Seidl could not stem the tide of stagnation. Under his watch, Hinwil experienced a flurry of changes—technical reshuffles, staff departures, and the end of the Alfa Romeo partnership. The latter meant reliance on Stake, an online casino brand, as an interim title sponsor—raising eyebrows about long-term stability.
Earlier this year, Seidl was quietly phased out. In his place, Jonathan Wheatley, formerly Red Bull’s team manager, took the reins as Team Principal. Wheatley’s brief is clear: steady the ship ahead of Audi’s full takeover in 2026. But the team remains in a rebuilding phase.
Performance vs. Promise
While the reorganisation appears decisive, it also betrays Audi’s growing unease. Sources suggest that Audi board members are frustrated with the lack of progress and believe Sauber’s underachievement is no longer tolerable.
The appointment of Binotto—an engineer with deep F1 roots—indicates Audi is serious about technical coherence. But Binotto’s tenure at Ferrari was marred by internal politics and strategic missteps. Will he thrive in an even more fragmented, cross-continental structure?
Furthermore, time is running short. Developing a competitive power unit under the new 2026 regulations—especially one that uses 100% sustainable fuels and relies more heavily on electric power—is no easy feat. Mercedes, Honda (via Aston Martin), Red Bull-Ford, and Ferrari are already deep into their testing and simulation phases.
Even with Nico Hülkenberg confirmed as their lead driver for 2026, Audi will need more than German synergy and soundbite-ready quotes to climb out of the midfield. Their F1 dream risks becoming just another corporate white elephant if performance doesn’t follow investment.
Verdict: A cautionary contender
There’s no doubt Audi’s ambitions are genuine. The resources are there. The personnel, on paper, are strong. But the lingering question remains: can Audi pull together a fractured structure in time to meet the grid in 2026 not just as a participant, but as a contender?
At the moment, Audi are fighting a battle on three fronts: organisational clarity, technical performance, and reputational credibility. And in F1, time is often the harshest judge of all.
