Stefan Strähnz joins the Sauber team, coming from Mercedes

The Audi imprint is already taking shape within the Sauber structure. In order to best prepare for the new regulations of 2026 and the arrival of the German car manufacturer, the Sauber team has just announced the signing of a new recruit in the person of Stefan Strähnz, who will strengthen the management team.

A necessary recruitment to overcome the difficulties that the Audi project has been facing with rumors of instability in recent weeks that have shaken the Formula 1 paddock, especially Carlos Sainz’s management, who reportedly heard about this information, cooling off the potential arrival of the Spaniard at Audi in the face of a project that has been struggling to make progress for the past few months.

With the arrival of Strähnz, the team hopes that this instability will be quickly erased thanks to the 20 years of experience accumulated by the former chief engineer at Mercedes. A career that began at Toyota as the lead engineer for dynamic equipment before joining the Renault group in 2006 as head of reliability. Since 2012, he was part of the Mercedes team and held various positions, including that of chief engineer for costs and commercial programs since 2020.

Through all these functions, Strähnz has acquired important knowledge in the development and management of challenging projects. A leadership that the team was sorely lacking and which could prove decisive in the future, in order to prepare the Swiss team for the transition to Audi in the best possible way for next season.

The main person concerned has already spoken on the subject: “I am immensely proud and excited to join the talented people of Sauber Motorsport on our exciting journey to become the Audi F1 factory team in 2026. I have had a similar journey in my previous roles, and I will apply all my learning and energy in this new challenging program to develop the tools, processes, and culture necessary for long-term sustainable success on and off the track. It is a true privilege to join such an iconic brand as Audi with all its previous successes in technology and motorsport. I look forward to playing a leadership role in our ambitious goals of winning championships in F1.”

A nomination that highlights the great ambitions of the future Audi team, which is looking to prepare its future in the top category as best as possible. For CEO Andreas Seidl, the team is heading in the right direction with this new recruitment.

« I am delighted to welcome Stefan to the team, and I am sure he will bring an incredible experience from his previous roles. […] With his unique experience, Stefan will play a vital role in enhancing the overall efficiency of the team and preparing us for the optimization of full financial regulation as we become the Audi F1 factory team.

A collaboration that will take shape from October 1, with the aim of taking the team in the right direction, whether on the track or elsewhere.