Audi’s entrance into Formula 1 has drawn a step closer after the German vehicle producer gained a minority stake in Sauber.
The purchase comes three months after Sauber announced it would be Audi’s primary partner when the German manufacturer enters Formula 1 in 2026.
The Swiss constructor’s flow organization with Alfa Romeo will end after the approaching season.
This is a significant achievement en route to Audi’s entrance into Formula 1, booked for 2026, for which the Sauber Gathering will be the German brand’s essential accomplice. Sauber said in an explanation.
Sauber will run with Ferrari power units in 2024 and 2025 before Audi steps in.
Speaking in October, then-Sauber group head Frederic Vasseur portrayed the organization as the most ideal choice for what’s to come.
To turn into Audi’s true works group isn’t just an honor and an extraordinary obligation; it’s the most ideal choice for the future, and we are completely sure we can assist Audi with accomplishing the targets they have set for their excursion in Formula 1 he said.
On Jan. 14, Andreas Seidl supplanted Vasseur as Sauber’s CEO after the last option joined Ferrari and will supervise Audi’s entrance into F1.
It is Sauber’s second full understanding following their relationship with BMW in the 2000s, with owner Finn Rausing claiming Audi was the best essential partner for the company.
The goal, for the time being, will be to return to the upper midfield.
Sauber, which debuted in Formula 1 in 1993, joined forces with Alfa Romeo in 2018, but they continue to operate on a tighter budget than their competitors and have remained at the back of the pack ever since.
A connection with Audi will unquestionably help their objective, with the carmaker creating motors from their German base while the bodies are actually expected to be created at Sauber’s Switzerland base.
The new generation of F1 motors will have increased electrical power and completely manageable voltages.
Our aggressive Formula 1 task has found a capable partner, declared Audi board member Oliver Hoffman. He is in charge of the corporate F1 program.
An Audi representative sent a proclamation to Sky Sports. The representative said that this is a key achievement for the German F1 team in 2026.
As part of the transaction, Julius Seebach joined the Sauber governing body as Audi AG’s authorized representative, the statement added.
Last week, there was a report that Alessandro Alunnni Bravi would take up a senior position under Seidl. This influential position will see him take on media obligations during the 2023 seasons. Alunni Bravi is also the managing director of the Sauber Gathering, which runs the Swiss-based group. As a result, he has been appointed as group delegate.
Sauber contends as Alfa Romeo in what has been a successful title sponsorship with the Stellantis-claimed brand. Because of the group’s race as Audi beginning in 2026, that arrangement is set to expire after the 2023 season.
In August, Audi confirmed that they would return to Formula 1 every four years as a power unit provider. Recently, they had also been linked with a partnership with McLaren.
Volkswagen brand Porsche saw an arrangement fall through with Red Bull. At the same time, Porsche still holds an F1 interest.
