Audi commits 100% to Formula 1

In late 2022 when Formula One was at the peak of its popularity many renowned manufacturers showed interest in being part of the ever-growing circus of Formula 1, Audi was one such brand that showed great interest and backed it up by announcing a works partnership with then Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team now Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber with initial procurement of 25% in the Sauber Group in 2023 leading up to overall 75% before 2026 – Year which Audi is geared to formally join the Formula 1 grid.

Last week when Formula 1 was in full action in Saudi Arabia – Audi made an announcement that further solidified their commitment to Formula 1 – Audi announced that they are poised to acquire 100% ownership of the Sauber group instead of initial 75% that was planned, effectively giving Audi complete control of its F1 project and its Race team.

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Behind the scenes, Audi and Sauber were hiring team personnel and periodically investing in the project to get the team ready for the 2026 season when a new set of engine regulations are set to be in effect – one such high-profile recruitment Audi and Sauber did was appointment of Andreas Seidl as CEO of Sauber Group a DeFacto CEO of Audi project.

It is said that Andreas Seidl is the man behind convincing the higher-ups of the Audi Board to further open their pockets and go all in, in their Formula One Pursuit – This decision does make sense for a brand like AUDI that has a rich history in Motorsports from Rally accolades to utter domination in World Endurance Championship, to come into Formula 1 with covering all the bases.

This means Audi now has complete control of the team – resulting in them directing the team and its resources in the way they want the team to move in before 2026 and also to reap all the benefits of their investment in the team during these years before joining the grid in 2026 – this will, in theory, make Audi a proper works TEAM as Audi will be developing their power unit at their Neuburg Facility.

With this announcement, Audi has cleared the air on the individuals who will be leading the project – Olliver Hoffmann currently a Board Member and in charge of Technical development of Audi will be responsible for the implementations of the project and will be the General representative effectively stepping down from his board duties and become chairman of the board of directors for all Sauber companies under him Andreas Seidl will be the CEO of the Audi F1 team and also the future face of the team.

Oliver Hoffmann said, “I would like to thank the entire team at Technical Development for the great performance in recent years, and I am proud of the outstanding products resulting from the intensive work that we will bring to the streets in the coming months. Motorsport, particularly Formula 1, is my big passion. I am convinced that by bundling responsibilities and taking over 100 per cent of Sauber Group, we will further accelerate our preparations for the launch in 2026. I am pleased we were able to secure the services of Andreas Seidl as Audi F1 Team CEO. He is exactly the right man for our ambitious plan. Thanks to his broad experience from leadership roles on the manufacturer and Formula 1 team side, he will make a significant contribution to Audi’s Formula 1 project.”

Andreas Seidl said, “I thank Gernot Döllner and Oliver Hoffmann for their trust and am looking forward to leading Audi into Formula 1 together with a highly motivated team as CEO of the Audi F1 Team. We have a clear roadmap for how we want to become competitive in Hinwil as well as in Neuburg.

Where do you think Audi will Finish in their first season in Formula 1?