Audi named Mattia Binotto as their new chief operating and chief technical officer on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as both team CEO Andreas Seidl and executive Oliver Hoffmann have left the Audi project. The German car manufacturer, which took full ownership of Sauber this season, will begin running the team under the Audi name and use their own power units in 2026.
“I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Mattia Binotto for our ambitious Formula 1 project,“ Audi CEO Gernot Dollner said in a release. “With his extensive experience of more than 25 years in Formula One, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution for Audi.“
Binotto worked with Ferrari for 28 years, including four as team principal, until parting ways following a disappointing 2022 season.
Ferrari jumped out of the gate under the new regulations with Charles Leclerc winning two of the first three grands prix. However, a series of flubbed strategy calls and pit stops saw Leclerc lose the championship lead and fall 150 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen by mid-season. Although Ferrari claimed four wins during the season, including Carlos Sainz's first of his career, they finished a distant second in the constructors' championship behind Red Bull.
Sauber, who are supplied Ferrari power units, are last in the standings as the only team yet to score a single point.
The team announced in April they have signed Nico Hulkenberg for next season with the future of current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu undecided.
COMMENTS
When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.