Audi will be a major game-changer, says Sauber. Why is the combination of the Swiss team and the German brand so important?

After months of much speculation and an unclear future, everything has finally been officially confirmed ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix. German carmaker Audi has decided to partner with Swiss team Sauber, with stable boss Fred Vasseur claiming Audi will help Sauber take a big step forward.

A big change and a step forward – that’s probably how one could interpret the mutual association between Swiss Sauber and German carmaker Audi. Or rather, the boss of the Audi stable hopes for a big step forward in terms of competitiveness.

Sauber currently operates in Formula 1 under the name Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen, having joined forces with the Italian carmaker a few years ago. The famous Italian marque was then able to return to the world of motorsport royalty thanks to this partnership.

However, this collaboration will come to an end at the end of 2025, as Audi will be Sauber’s partner from 2026. It should be noted, Sauber has already worked in F1 in the past in conjunction with the German brand.

It was a factory partnership with BMW, between 2006 and 2009, when the carmaker produced engines for the Swiss stable. And it is a similar scenario that awaits Sauber from the 2026 season with Audi.

The German brand has been considering entering Formula 1 for a very long time, along with another famous automotive icon, Porsche. However, it ultimately failed to agree terms with Red Bull and currently it looks like it will not enter the queen of motorsport.

Both Porsche and Audi were considering entering, especially in light of the new powertrain rules that will come into effect just as the 2026 model year hits.

In practice, this will mean that F1 power units will retain their existing 1.6-litre V6 engines and increase the amount of electricity they can generate, while getting rid of the expensive MGU-H. Formula 1 is also slowly starting to focus on the full use of electricity and sustainability.

Statement from the team boss

“Firstly in the short term – it won’t have a big impact. I mean, apart from the fact that it will allow us to take further steps, it will be a huge opportunity in terms of recruitment and it will also make us more attractive to sponsors,” said Vasseur, quoted by Motorsport.

“But in the medium term it will be a game-changer for us because we will have this kind of partnership. F1 has made huge strides in the last 10 years and to stay as an independent team today is quite impossible from my point of view. It was probably the best option we could have done,” he explained, hinting at the importance of working with Audi.

Vasseur also said that the current plan is for Audi to build the engines in Neuburg, Germany, while the chassis will still be manufactured in Switzerland.

“We will completely split the operations. The engines will be handled in Germany and the team will handle the chassis and track operations in Hinwil. They will also take some shares in the company in the future. I think this is an ideal strategic distribution of forces and a good way to run the whole team,” he concluded.

F1, Motorsport, Sauber