Audi has said that they are interested in recruiting a development driver at the end of 2023 to assist them on their journey to Formula 1.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the company’s racing division, Adam Baker, a driver will be joining the squad to assist in their efforts, which will help them in particular with the development of their power unit. Audi will complete a majority takeover of Sauber in time for the 2026 season, at which point they will officially enter the sport as Formula 1’s newest ‘factory’ team. This will allow Audi to officially enter the sport as the newest addition to the sport.
While the topic of race drivers is not yet on the horizon, someone will be coming in to assist them as they begin to test how their new power unit will take shape. Baker has already begun planning ahead for the transition into Formula 1, and while the subject of race drivers is not yet on the horizon, In response to a question from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur on whether or not the team is considering recruiting a German driver, Baker said that the team is more concerned with the overall performance of the drivers rather than the nationality of the drivers.
However, he continued by saying that any discussion on potential racing drivers for the team is “too far away. Since we haven’t even begun discussing the drivers for 2024, it is impossible to speculate on how the industry will evolve by 2026. In the third quarter of the year 2023, [we are going to] add a development driver to our team. This driver will play a particularly essential role in developing our power unit in the driving simulator in Neuburg.
Sauber F1 Team
It is believed that Sauber’s move to bring Andreas Seidl across from McLaren to become their new chief executive was to lead Audi’s move into Formula 1 while retaining a link with the existing Sauber operation. This move was made over the course of the winter at Sauber when they moved to bring Andreas Seidl across from McLaren.
According to Sky Germany, more recruiting is now taking place for the power unit section of Audi, and the team is reportedly hoping to have as many as 300 members of staff working for them by the time 2023 comes to a close.
Audi is doing the right thing by starting its Formula 1 preparations early.
The meticulous planning that has already gone into the Audi-Sauber alliance is a portent of what is likely to come as the brand seeks to intensify its Formula 1 preparations to the greatest extent feasible. Because the standards governing power units will be reset, they will essentially be starting from scratch when they enter the industry. Additionally, chassis adjustments are expected to be brought about as a result of this.
Therefore, in light of this, it makes a great deal of sense for Audi to be making movements in the manner in which they are doing so at the moment. Having someone with Seidl’s level of experience at the helm of Sauber will make the transition smoother. Considering how highly regarded he was during his time at McLaren by Zak Brown, he will be someone who can assist the team and Audi in effectively planning for their respective futures.
They may still have three full years to prepare for their entrance in Formula 1, which is quite a run-up, but 2026 will come around far sooner than they think it will, at least from their point of view.