Sauber has said the impending 100 per cent takeover of the Formula 1 outfit by German marque Audi “gives us energy” to turn the team’s fortunes around.
Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Audi confirmed that instead of purchasing an initially touted 75% stake in the Hinwill-based outfit, it will complete a full takeover.
Former Audi board member Oliver Hoffmann has been installed as General Representative of the Audi F1 project and Andreas Seidl has been named Audi F1 CEO.
With Sauber currently struggling for form having finished dead last of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix finishers, Head of Trackside Engineering, Xevi Pujolar hopes Audi’s announcement comes with the necessary boost to make the team’s final two seasons as an independent outfit a success.
“For sure, it is encouraging for the future,” he told the media. “But also, we need to think about today, no?
“I would say it is important in terms of budget possibilities, and what we can build in the next year and a half or two years before Audi [arrives] fully and we are Audi.
“So, just to have the team ready, and we just need to do as much as we can now to build that team to be ready when it matters.
“But in that time, we want to still be competitive, and we want to fight for the points every single race.
“I will say that, even with all the issues that we have got, that gives us energy, and a positive mindset that what is coming is better and there is a light at the end of the tunnel just to make sure that we are successful.
“That’s what we want to do. To be successful.”
After a promising start to the current generation of ground effect aerodynamic regulations in F1 in 2022, Sauber has been on a slide since that encouraging period.
Sauber C43 challenger did little to alleviate the squad’s fortunes last term and it finished ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with a pitiful total of 16 points.
2024 has started with a no score in the first two races and the C44 looks to be struggling for race pace on multiple tyre compounds.
Compounding its problems have been operational errors during pit stops for both drivers, Valtteri Bottas in Bahrain and Zhou Guanyu in Saudi Arabia.
“Obviously it’s only race two out of 24, and we have some things coming in the pipeline but we definitively need to improve not just the pace but also on operational,” said Bottas after Zhou’s front-left wheel nut issue prompted an elongated stop in Jeddah.
Bottas will likely back Pujolar’s sentiment that Audi’s heralded arrival is motivation enough to pit the team in a positive trajectory.
