Mattia Binotto and Audi: “We hope to be able to fight in 2030”

Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 Team project, recently spoke about the team’s arrival in Formula 1. He explained that the German brand does not expect to be competitive before the 2030 season at the earliest. Audi will start its adventure with the Sauber team, which will change its name in 2026 to adapt to the new technical regulations.

A path strewn with obstacles toward competitiveness

Audi displays a strong commitment to the discipline. Despite this, the automaker faces a significant challenge: creating a powerful engine while integrating a team struggling greatly this season. The Swiss team still has not scored any points and is sorely lacking competitiveness this season.

Binotto, newly appointed to orchestrate this transition, emphasized the scale of the task awaiting Audi. He admitted that the team will have a gap to fill compared to well-established competitors.

Read also: A real challenge for Audi in 2026

According to him, to reduce this deficit, it will be crucial to proceed with a massive recruitment, in order to reach a size comparable to that of top teams: « We are at the beginning of the ascent. Ahead of us is Everest, and now we can only see the base. We decide which side to climb, but it is important to establish a path. »

Binotto also specified that Audi must face a personnel disadvantage: « If we compare ourselves to our competitors, we have around 400 fewer people. We must fill this gap in order to be able to compete at the same level, but these people cannot be found in two days, and not necessarily in F1. Our choice is to invest in young people. »

Get inspired by Formula 1 giants

To guide its strategy, Audi draws inspiration from Ferrari and Mercedes’ models. Binotto mentioned the trajectories of these two teams to estimate the time needed to achieve success in F1: « Other teams took years to reach the top. Jean Todt joined Maranello in 1993 and the first Constructors’ title was won in 1999. The same goes for Mercedes. It will take five to seven years. We hope to be able to compete in 2030.

Before projecting itself in the long term, Audi must first address the issue of the vacant seat alongside Nico Hülkenberg for 2025. Although the brand has an ambitious vision to climb the ranks in Formula 1, the road ahead looks long and challenging.