Change coming to Sauber in 2025.

It isn’t an understatement to say the 2024 season has been a disaster for the Sauber. Halfway through the season they haven’t recorded a point and sit last in the constructor’s championship. Sauber’s driver Valtteri Bottas highest finish this season has been 15th. He recorded this twice, at the Belgium and Great Britain Grand Prix’s. His teammate Zhou Guanyu highest finish this season is 13th at Spain. The only other who hasn’t record a point is William’s Logan Sargeant.

The Sauber team which will become Audi in 2026. This year Audi took over full ownership of the team.

In 2025 the team will have at least one new driver. It was announced in April Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg would be joining the Sauber team in 2025 and beyond. At the time he spoke to the F1 media about the excitement of joining the German team.

“The prospect of joining of competing for Audi is very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is such a unique opportunity. “

This season Hulkenberg sits in 11th in the championship, 17 points and 5 positions above his teammate Kevin Magnussen on the driver’s championship.

Hulkenberg said CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG Andreas Seidl was the “driving factor” for his move to the team.

In July, the Audi team declared that Seidl and Audi executive Oliver Hoffman would be leaving the German manufacturer. They would be replaced by former Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto. Binotto was at Ferrari for 27 years including four years as their team principal. Binotto’s position at Audi will be as Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer. He began in the role at the start of August.

Audi CEO Gernot Dollner said they were thrilled to have Binotto join Audi.

“With his extensive experience of more than 25 years, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution to Audi” he said to F1 media.

Red Bull’s sporting director Jonathon Wheatley will become Audi Team Principal in 2026. Wheatley has been at Red Bull for the last 18 years. Wheatley will finish at Red Bull at the end of the season.

“The opportunity to play an active part in Audi’s entry into Formula One as head of a factory team is a uniquely exciting prosect” Wheatley said to the Sauber website.