'Audi and Sauber make investments to meet F1 target'

Audi is working hard behind the scenes to lay a firm foundation for its future cooperation with Sauber, reports Auto Motor und Sport. With Andreas Seidl as its front man, it has a clear plan to end up among the top teams.

Over the next few years, Audi will slowly acquire shares in Sauber so that it can jointly compete in Formula 1 in 2026. Last week, it brought in Andreas Seidl to do so, who is to lead the process as CEO.

According to the German medium, the first step will be to upgrade the headquarters in Neuburg an der Donau. Not only will a new building be added which should speed up development, it is also planned to significantly increase the workforce.

Audi's goal is to employ 300 people there by 2023, which would give it about the same number of employees as Red Bull Powertrains. This does put it well behind Ferrari and Mercedes, both of which have around eight hundred employees.

Audi knows, however, that it can make a difference with its own qualities. It is therefore betting with Sauber Group on improving its infrastructure and the qualities of its personnel. This gives Seidl a clear task: within three years of entering in 2026, the team must be competitive.

In doing so, he knows better than anyone that it will have to invest. However, because of the budget ceiling, it has become even more important to make the right choices on the way to the top of the world championship, making Seidl's experience essential.

The Germans know that Sauber still lags behind the top teams on several issues. For instance, it needs to update the software it uses quickly and, with investment, it needs to manage to secure the right engineers. However, Audi and Sauber are confident that, with the right attitude, it will succeed.