Audi to take 100% ownership of Sauber F1 team from 2026

Audi will take 100% control of Swiss company Sauber ahead of its transformation into the German carmaker's Formula 1 factory team from 2026, the Volkswagen-owned brand announced on Friday.

Oliver Hoffmann will leave the Audi board to take overall responsibility for the F1 program while Andreas Seidl, already at Sauber in Hinwil in Switzerland, will lead the team.

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Audi CEO Gernot Doellner will take charge of the technical development division, previously headed by Hoffmann, in addition to his current duties.

Audi said the supervisory boards of Volkswagen and Audi had voted in favor of a complete takeover of the Sauber group after an agreement with current majority shareholder Islero Investments, linked to Swedish billionaire Finn Rausing.

The car manufacturer announced in January 2023 that it had taken a minority stake in Sauber, without giving details.

Audi manufactures its own F1 powertrain in Neuburg, Bavaria.

“Entry into Formula 1 is not only the pinnacle of Audi's very successful history in motorsport, but also a sporting challenge as important as a financial commitment,” said Manfred Doess, chairman of the Audi supervisory board.

“Thanks to the consolidation of Oliver Hoffmann’s responsibilities and the complete takeover of the Sauber Group, we are accelerating our preparations for the 2026 season.”

Seidl, who was team principal at McLaren before joining Sauber at the end of 2022, said: “We have a clear roadmap on how we want to become competitive at Hinwil as well as at Neuburg.”

“We have ambitious goals. Their achievement is underway and will be further accelerated thanks to the complete takeover of Sauber by Audi AG.”

Last month, Sauber launched its new car and livery as part of its rebranding as the Stake.