Audi F1: A More Complicated Entry into Formula 1 Than Expected
Planned for 2026, Audi's entry into F1 faces major obstacles: internal tensions, an unattractive base in Switzerland, and an unknown engine. The challenge is significant for the German brand.
When Audi announced in 2022 its intention to buy Sauber, the idea was clear: gradually transform the team into a 100% Audi team by 2026. However, according to David Croft, famous F1 commentator, the transition of the Hinwil team to Audi is not going particularly well. Why? A real game of musical chairs within the management.
Andreas Seidl, initially appointed as managing director of Sauber Motorsport, was supposed to lay the foundation for the project before being propelled to head Audi’s F1 operations. But four months later, Audi announced his departure. Leadership problem? Vision issue? In any case, tensions with Oliver Hoffmann, then in charge of Audi’s development, were mentioned. According to Croft, there was a constant battle between Hoffmann and Seidl. Result: both were dismissed.
To correct the course, Audi has called upon Mattia Binotto, former director of Ferrari, now the director of operations and technology. But that’s not all: the team has also secured the services of Jonathan Wheatley, former sporting director of Red Bull, who will not take up his duties until July. They are without a team director at least until April, highlights Croft. Needless to say, the internal organization is still far from stable.
A HQ in the Wrong Place
Another sticking point: the location of Audi F1. The team remains based in Switzerland, in Hinwil, a choice that complicates the recruitment of talent. One of the problems with the Audi project is the location. Hinwil, as spectacular as Switzerland may be, is not an ideal place to attract staff, explains Croft.
The high cost of living makes it difficult for engineers and technicians to relocate. Switzerland is expensive, and you’re uprooting people. Faced with this difficulty, Audi had to revise its plans and is now looking to establish a base in the UK, where most F1 teams are based. I’m surprised this didn’t happen two years ago, adds Croft.
A finding shared by the FIA, which has granted Audi greater leeway on the budget cap to offset Switzerland’s high costs. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s director for single-seaters, explains: “We estimated that a team based in a country where labor costs are high, like Switzerland, would end up with about 30%, even 40%, fewer people working on the car, which seemed fundamentally unfair to us.”
Uncertainties about competitiveness
For now, it’s difficult to get a clear idea. The brand with the rings is venturing into the unknown with its own engine, but we don’t know if their engine will be good or not, admits Croft. The stakes are high: Audi does not want to be a backmarker team and will have to quickly prove that it can compete with the best.
On the drivers’ side, the team is relying on the experience of Nico Hülkenberg, a paddock veteran, and the youth of Gabriel Bortoleto. The latter, a Brazilian hopeful, is also a strategic choice: “He’s an excellent driver who will attract Brazilian sponsors,” notes Croft.
But with a team in complete chaos and an engine still unknown, the big question remains: Can Audi really be competitive from the start?
