'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Audi has finally made things official after months of speculation around its F1 future. The German brand put forth what could only be termed a major statement of intent when it announced a buyout of the entire Sauber outfit.
In what was an initial deal that featured a 75% takeover with 25% remaining with Finn Rausing, the German brand has decided to take over the whole thing.
What this means is that Audi will have complete control of the outfit when it joins F1 in 2026, and hence the stakes would be higher. It's safe to say that the brand is not joining the sport just to be one of the many teams on the grid. The brand wants to win and emulate what Mercedes did when it joined the sport.
As Audi comes closer to its official entry to F1, the work needs to start already. The Kick Sauber team is in disarray at the moment and has shown poor on-track performance.
For Audi to be in a good position when it joins F1 in 2026, it needs to start the work as soon as possible. Here are the 5 key things it needs to do as the brand gets ready to join F1.
#1 Change the driver lineup
The team cannot continue with a Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas line-up anymore. The line-up not only lacks on-track performance but also seems very uninteresting at this stage.
When there are drivers like Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Nico Hulkenberg on the market, you cannot continue with a Bottas-Zhou lineup that has been underwhelming for a lengthy three-year period.
#2 Start hiring the right people
What's been a bit disappointing in the last year or so is that ever since Audi announced that it was joining F1 in 2026, the German brand hasn't made much noise in the job market. Mercedes key personnel Mike Elliot left the team last season and has still not been picked up, hence approaching him would make sense. So would be the case with going to Mattia Binotto and approaching him to be a part of the team.
One of the reasons could be the uncertainty surrounding the involvement of the German brand. Only 25% of the team has been acquired until the start of 2024, and that's not an attractive proposition to bring people on board. Now that won't be the case anymore, it should help Audi bring key F1 personnel to the team.
#3 Do not underestimate the F1 power unit program
One of the major reasons for the failure of many new brands that make it to F1 is how they underestimate the task at hand. Honda was one of the more recent examples as the brand did get somewhat bullied into entering a year early by Ron Dennis and paid for it with infamy. It was only after multiple years of relentless investment and growth that Honda was finally the power unit supplier that helped Red Bull topple Mercedes.
In just the same manner, Audi cannot take the F1 challenge lightly and give an inch away in the power unit program. The German brand needs to go all-in, invest as much as it can, and leave no stone unturned because if the power unit is where the brand lacks, the team can just forget about strong results.
#4 Andreas Seidl needs to be more visible
Andreas Seidl has been in the background doing the work at the factory as the CEO of the operation. He's not shown his face to many races in the last year or so and it won't be a surprise if he doesn't do that this year either.
This has to change immediately, though, because the current Sauber outfit almost appears to lack a face associated with it. Alessandro Alunni Bravi is not a name or a face that has resonated with the fans in any way and the squad is a bit faceless at the moment. That needs to change from Seidl as the brand continues to grow and become better.
#5 Brace itself for a long and uncomfortable toil
Most importantly, Audi needs to brace itself for the long haul. The brand cannot expect itself to start winning races from the very first race. It can back itself to have a strong headstart, but until you're first on track with the rest of the grid teams, it's hard to make predictions.
What Audi needs to keep in mind is that it's not easy to win in F1 and it takes a lot of toil and hard work. That's what the brand will need to do, and it has to be prepared to do that.
