Mattia Binotto makes prestigious return to Formula 1 in Audi project
Former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto will switch to the Audi F1 project from the first of August and take over the management of the Hinwil-based racing team, combining the positions of Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer (COO and CTO) and serving as the necessary liaison to the car manufacturer
3' min read
3' min read
On the afternoon of 23 July it was announced that Oliver Hoffmann and Andreas Seidl will leave the Audi F1 project and the Sauber team, which will become the official Audi team from 2026. Hoffmann was chairman of the board of the Sauber Group, Seidl Ceo of Sauber Motorsport Ag.
Instead, a familiar face returns to Formula 1: former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto will switch to the Audi F1 project from the first of August and will take over the management of the racing team in Hinwil, combining the positions of Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer (COO and CTO) and serving as the necessary liaison to the car manufacturer.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, who at the same time becomes the new Chairman of the Board of Sauber Motorsport Ag, chose him to ensure the autonomy and independence of the Audi F1 project: "I am delighted that we were able to convince Mattia Binotto for our ambitious project. With his vast experience gained in over 25 years in Formula 1, he will certainly be able to make a decisive contribution to Audi. Our goal is to have clear management structures, defined responsibilities, reduced interfaces and efficient decision-making processes. To this end, the team must be able to act independently and quickly.
Mattia Binotto's arrival at Audi F1 is a strong signal of the German brand's ambitions in motorsport's top series. With his experience and leadership, crucial at Ferrari for the development of the hybrid powertrain, Binotto is ready to guide the Hinwil-based team towards the future 2026 transition that will make the cars theoretically more spectacular and sustainable. The objective of the House of the Four Rings is undoubtedly to raise the level of the Zurich-based team, which boasts five-four years of history, of which thirty-one in the top series, to that of a first-rate team that can compete for the world title for the first time.
After four seasons in the red, the Emilian-born Swiss engineer finished second in the constructors' championship in 2019 and 2022 but collected 'only' six individual victories with Leclerc (5) and Sainz Jr (1).
