How the Sauber team is preparing for Audi’s Formula 1 entry for the 2026 season and what this means for employees and technology ahead of the 2024 season
“Of course we have to make progress as a team,” says Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi after the 2023 Formula 1 season, which Sauber (as Alfa Romeo) finished P9 in the constructors’ championship. However, there is no concrete target for 2024: “We never talk about numbers or positions,” says Alunni Bravi. “We just want to continue to grow next year. “
This is happening in Hinwil in Switzerland, of course, with a view to Audi’s entry in the 2026 season. “We have already started investing this year and have drawn up an important personnel plan,” explains Alunni Bravi.
However, visible results of these measures should not be expected immediately, but only “in the next few years”, he says. Reason: “Practically every new employee is on leave before they are allowed to move to the competition. And there are also people coming from one of the top three teams who will then take on key roles in our team.”
How quickly will Sauber improve?
The Sauber racing team has already doubled in size, as Alunni Bravi emphasizes: “When I joined the team in 2017 together with Frederic Vasseur, around 220 people were employed there. We now have over 500 employees, and we will be taking another step in 2024.”
“This process takes time, especially as we also want to expand our departments and facilities. In principle, we are currently discussing the plan for all investments until at least 2030.”
This is being done in consultation with the shareholders, with whom Audi will gradually gain more influence before entering the plant, says Alunni Bravi. However, he rules out the possibility of his team being number one by 2026 as “not realistic”: “But we want to improve a little bit from year to year. “
Formula 1 season 2023 shows deficits
The 2023 Formula 1 season has once again highlighted “some areas” in which Sauber needs to improve. “James [Key] and Andreas [Seidl] are working on this,” assures Alunni Bravi.
“Andreas is not only working towards 2026, but also to better position the team for 2024. And in the past, we were weak in terms of development during the season. This year, we have significantly reduced the time it takes to produce new parts.”
“We have also kept development going consistently throughout the season. We had at least four major updates and five underbody specifications. We want to continue like this. Because P8 or P9 or P10 [in the constructors’ championship] means there is still room for improvement in every area.”
For 2024, the aim is “to have a better car right from the start”, says Alunni Bravi, “and with more potential for further development”. What remains unspoken is what resonates in these words: Sauber no longer wants to finish second last in Formula 1 next year.
