Sauber asserts that Audi’s commitment to F1 remains very strong, despite the change in CEO
Since the officialization of Sauber's shares acquisition by Audi, no information has leaked. However, the director of Alfa Romeo asserts that Audi is still just as involved.
Audi will be in Formula 1 in 2026, as announced last year. The German automaker has become a strategic partner of Sauber with the acquisition of a minority stake in January 2023. The Swiss group had issued a press release to formalize this partnership.
The Sauber group is pleased to announce that, in accordance with the plans defined in October of last year, Audi acquired a minority stake in the Sauber group in January 2023.
However, since the publication of this statement, no further information has been communicated. Audi and Sauber have remained silent since this announcement, and the arrival of a new CEO at Audi, determined by the VW group, seems to have a potential impact.
Sensible hypotheses
The silence from both sides has generated rumors. Audi has not reported any progress since the announcement, which has led F1 fans to question the motivation of the German manufacturer. Speculations have mentioned a potential delay in the development of their powertrain. Recently, the German press also suggested that Audi might consider reconsidering its entry into F1. In fact, Audi’s CEO has recently changed, and while the former CEO, Markus Duesmann, was supportive of this entry into F1, it no longer aligns with the new CEO’s ideas: Gernot Döllner.
However, these rumors have been denied by Alfa Romeo. « Audi has a strong commitment to Formula 1, and this decision comes not only from Audi’s board of directors, but also from Audi’s advisory board and Audi/Volkswagen’s supervisory board, stated Alessandro Alunni Bravi, director of Alfa Romeo Sauber. « Therefore, it is a group decision and the commitment is definitely there. The reason why communication is limited is simple. We are a stakeholder of the Alfa Romeo F1 team. Therefore, we are subject to certain communication restrictions regarding the team, the future, and Audi’s involvement, and we fully respect these limits imposed by Alfa Romeo. We have no intention of making announcements or disclosing information that is not strictly related to racing and the championship. The commitment, as I mentioned, is definitely there. »
A transitioning structure
Alfa Romeo Sauber is currently going through a transition period with the ongoing acquisition by Audi. The complete takeover by Audi is happening in several stages, extending until 2026. The German manufacturer is gradually enhancing its presence, and the current team management is supervised by both shareholders.
“We are strongly committed to developing the team’s structure,” stated the director of Alfa Romeo. “We have implemented a solid recruitment plan, of which James Key, the new technical director, is part. We are also making new appointments on a weekly basis. It is important to highlight that Audi’s involvement goes beyond financing the team and also encompasses supporting this development process. We have two owners, meaning two shareholders, and a governance is in place in accordance with the different stages of the transaction, which will be finalized before the 2026 season. We continue to follow the investment plan while respecting the established governance.”
