Andreas Seidl: We’re going for broke

Since taking over the Sauber Group in January last year, Andreas Seidl has rarely spoken to the press, but with Audi’s Formula 1 project gradually gaining momentum, the time has come to break this public silence and the German manager gave a interview to the official championship website.

Sauber will become an Audi works team in 2026, but so far the results leave much to be desired and the cars built in Hinwil are powered by Ferrari engines. This is also one of the reasons why Andreas Seidl preferred to stay in the background even during race weekends, as he attended some stages of the World Championship.

But above all, he works at Sauber’s Swiss base, where he carries out a comprehensive analysis of the team’s activities and lays the foundation for the Audi factory project, while the operational management of the team is entrusted to Alessandro Aluni Bravi.

“Our work is going according to plan, both in Neuburg, where the power plant is being built, and in Hinwil,” said Seidl. “Seeing the progress made in all aspects of the project, I am confident that we can prepare for 2026, as so far all the interim goals we set for ourselves are being met.

Speaking of Sauber, I have dedicated the last few months to a detailed analysis of the team’s work. Together we identified the weaknesses and compared them with the best Formula 1 teams. The first changes have already been implemented. Following the recent announcement that Audi has acquired 100% of Sauber, we can accelerate this process of reorganizing the team and transforming it from private to fully factory.

Our mission is to complete everything planned as quickly as possible in 2026 and reach a certain level so that the team immediately becomes as competitive as possible.

I am grateful that a certain foundation has been laid here in Hinvil, because the team is distinguished by its fighting spirit, highly qualified specialists are employed, but the necessary infrastructure has also been created. That is why Audi decided to enter Formula 1 together with Sauber. We must thank Finn Rausing, who has invested in and supported this project over the years.

To bring the team to the level of the best, we need to create new capabilities and modernize the infrastructure. The base in Hinwil clearly needs to be expanded, because additional jobs need to be created here for new employees we want to invite in the future, and working conditions need to be improved for those already working.

There is also a need to improve the technical infrastructure, which means investing heavily in increasing our research and development capabilities while expanding the production capabilities of the Hinwil base. We want to significantly develop these capabilities to produce machine parts faster and make the modernization process as efficient as possible.

Of course, we understand the complexity of the challenges we face and know that we are in a race against time to be as prepared as possible for 2026. It is important to note that transformation is not just about growth. It is naive to believe that all you need to do is provide the team with additional funding and expand its workforce so that it can immediately compete with the best.

The transformation process also includes changing the work approach, organizing all processes and changing the culture. These types of reforms are not always comfortable and can be painful, but they must be implemented. But the team fully understands the need for change and that the opportunity to create a competitive factory team that can fight for victories and podiums in the future comes only once in a lifetime.”

When Seidl was asked whether Audi was considering signing a deal with Adrian Newey, who will soon be released from his commitment to Red Bull, he replied: “The emphasis within our company when recruiting is not on big names, but on finding the right people and a correct distribution of their powers. Then they will help us increase our competitiveness and make progress faster.”

Audi has already signed Nico Hülkenberg to a multi-year contract and Seidl explained the decision as follows: “He consistently shows high speed, and that convinced us. Naturally, Nico will make a major contribution to the creation of the future Audi factory team with all his experience and personal qualities – both on and off the track.

He will play an important role in Sauber’s transformation, but ultimately it is his speed that matters most. We are impressed with the consistent pace in qualifying and racing that he shows every weekend. That is why we decided not to postpone signing the contract and to enlist Niko’s help. Moreover, he himself is very happy to participate in our interesting project…

But we are also in discussions with Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou and continue to monitor their performances. We are grateful to them for what they have done and continue to do for Sauber. At the same time, we are studying all other options available on the pilot market and want to decide later on the composition of the team. It is difficult to predict what changes will occur in this market. The contract with Niko has already been signed and there is no particular rush to choose his partner. For the time being, we prefer to analyze the performance of both our riders and other possible candidates and then make the best decision.”

Speaking about the goals for which Audi comes to Formula 1, Andreas Seidl emphasized: “It is clear that when a factory team of a car manufacturer like Audi appears in Formula 1, it can only have one goal: ultimately fighting for victories in races, and in the future – in championships.

We’re going all in. This means that we will have all the capabilities we need to challenge the best teams in Formula 1 in the future. We say this with confidence, but now everything will depend on how effectively we can use the support and resources that Audi gives us.

What results do we need to achieve by 2026 for me to consider it a success? When the new technical regulations come into effect, we must already have a competitive and reliable power plant, and we also want to immediately surprise everyone with an efficient chassis.”