Vasseur Sees Audi Arrival in 2026 as a ‘Game-Changer’ for Sauber F1 Team

Frédéric Vasseur knows the short-term future for the Sauber Formula 1 Team will not be too affected by the planned 2026 tie-in with Audi Sport, but in the mid to long-term, it will be a ‘game-changer’ for the Swiss-based outfit.

Sauber’s current deal with Alfa Romeo concludes at the end of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, but they will join forces with Audi when the new engine regulations come into effect in 2026.

Vasseur, the Team Principal of the current Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN outfit, reckons Audi’s arrival will mark a big step forward for the team and offer tremendous opportunities both on and off the track.

“On the short-term view first: it won’t have a big impact except that for us that we know that we can go to the next step and it will be a huge opportunity in terms of recruitment and to be more attractive also for the sponsors for the future,” Vasseur is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.

“But mid-term, for sure it’s a game-changer, because we will have this kind of partnership, and I think F1 is getting more and more difficult.

“F1 did a huge step up the last ten years and, to stay as an independent team today, it’s quite impossible from my point of view. It was probably the best option we could add and [we are] more than happy to have this kind of deal for the future.”

Despite Formula 1 teams now being forced to adhere to a budget cap each year, Vasseur says currently Alfa Romeo still do not have the kind of budget that would allow them to reach that limit.

However, he hopes the partnership with Audi will allow them to compete on a more even level against the likes of Oracle Red Bull Racing, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team and Scuderia Ferrari, all of whom have the resources to max out their budgets.

“We are still far away from the budget cap,” he said. “That means that we are fighting to be at the budget cap and even in this, we are still far away on that.

“I think we will touch the point later on, but we are still far away from the budget cap. And we are absolutely dependent on the results. If you want to have a long-term view and you have only three or four independent teams it will become more and more difficult.”

One thing that Vasseur was able to confirm would happen with the arrival of Audi is that the development of the power unit will take place in Neuberg by Audi, while the chassis and track operations will be based at the current Sauber factory in Hinwil.

“We will split completely operations,” Vasseur said. “They will be in charge of the engine in Neuburg and the team will take care of the chassis and the operation on track, from Hinwil, that is clear.

“They will take some shares in the company in the future but we didn’t disclose the details of this and I won’t do it today.

“But I think it’s a good way to operate the team. We had a look on what was working in the past on the other teams and the most important for me is not just the set-up in terms of shares or who is managing who, it’s a matter of mindset, and to be able to build up in terms of strategy to be one single team and not to have teams fighting each other.”