Audi F1's aggressive recruitment plan attracts key personnel from competitors on the grid

Audi F1 reportedly plans to go on an aggressive recruitment attack in a bid to secure key personnel from rival teams. Adam Baker, the team's CEO, has reportedly contracted 50 technical experts, including some from rival teams.

With the German automotive giant set to enter the sport when the new engine regulations take hold in 2026, plans are in motion to ensure a smooth transition into the convoluted world of premiere-class single-seater racing.

Audi's main challenge will be the geographical disadvantage they face in being headquartered outside the UK, with seven out of the ten current teams being UK-based.

Most of the technical talent in F1 is found in and around the UK, which is to Audi's disadvantage as they are headquartered in the Bavarian town of Neuberg in Germany.

However, CEO Adam Baker has expressed absolutely no concerns regarding the matter, claiming the team already has a strong foundation in place. Speaking to PlanetF1.com, Baker said:

“Regarding recruitment, what we need to recognize is the Formula 1 project for Audi Sport here in Neuburg, it’s an important transformation project. This means we benefited from taking around 200 highly qualified staff over from within Audi Sport into Formula 1. So this is obviously a huge boost for our ramp-up phase."

He added:

"But to ensure we will be competitive in 2026, we want to accelerate our learning phase as much as possible and part of that strategy is an aggressive recruitment programme. So far, we’ve contracted around 50 technical experts to join us here, including from some of our competitors.”

Official: F1 to trial new race weekend format in Baku as teams reach agreement

Teams have come to an agreement for a new race weekend format to be trialed by F1 in Baku. In Azerbaijan, the sprint race will feature an extra qualifying session, replacing Saturday's FP2.

The plan to modify the schedule for the upcoming Baku race, which marks the first Sprint race weekend of the season, had already been confirmed before the Australian GP.

Currently, the Sprint weekend follows a specific format. On Friday, FP1 and qualifying are held, followed by FP2 and the Sprint on Saturday, and the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Under the new proposal, the existing FP2 session on Saturday morning will be replaced with a new qualifying session for the Sprint. Qualifying for the main race will take place on Friday.

The secondary aim of the proposal is to remove the redundant FP2 session on Saturday morning. Currently, due to the Parc Ferme restrictions enforced after Friday afternoon's qualifying, F1 teams are restricted in their ability to make changes to their cars.

Reports suggest that the ten F1 team leaders convened before the Australian GP on Sunday to consider this schedule adjustment. Under the new plan, Saturday's activities will feature a fresh qualifying session that follows the same three-round elimination format.