Why time is running out for Audi before its F1 debut

Quickly reviewing the pre-established responsibilities between Hinwil and Ingolstadt regarding the management of the Stake team is today a necessity if Audi wants to arrive in 2026 with a level of performance worthy of its rank.

Two seasons separate the end of the adventure Alfa Romeo and the start of the Audi offensive. Two crucial seasons for which the current majority shareholder (Finn Rausing) largely bears the weight until Ingolstadt (Germany) takes control.

If the investments of the ringed brand are continuous, they are insufficient, undoubtedly because it originally underestimated the cost relating to the chassis/team aspect of being a leading team by 2026 .

She probably expected much more than the step backwards taken since she accepted the terms of the buyout and became a minority shareholder. Between recruiting new people and developing infrastructure, it is likely that investing in a stable of F1 existing system with weaknesses to compensate for is proving – or will eventually become – more costly than Audi had anticipated.

And what was acceptable last year under the name Alfa Romeo when the results on the track did not yet show the improvement in the team's development capabilities thanks to the investments made, is not going to be this season.

If the new CFD (computational fluid dynamics) configuration which has improved the calculation capacity, the recruitment of more experienced people, etc., are in accordance with the “ plan established by Audi and Stake ", it is clear that the German firm must put its hand in its pocket a little more than expected to avoid the next two seasons being considered as "years of transition".

Sauber, which has run under the Alfa Romeo identity since 2019, will be known as Stake F1 Team in 2024 and 2025. / ©DPPI

Tight timing

Conversely, they must serve to lay the right foundations for what will make the Audi adventure successful.

« There is no slowdown in the project, but we are trying to accelerate certain investments, however insists Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the representative of the team. We are not very vocal about what we do, but we start by identifying the weaknesses and then we invest in each department in agreement with the shareholders. »

And it is no easy task to transform the Swiss structure into a team capable of achieving Audi's audacious objective of being very competitive within three years of entering F1. If it wants to succeed in its business, it cannot approach 2026 as a "mere" engine manufacturer, and leave managing director Andreas Seidl to right the Stake F1 ship with the resources that were agreed before he even joined the team. team.

Back in Hinwil (Switzerland) where he stayed for two years at the start of the 2010 decade, technical director James Key wants to be reassuring, believing that the structure has a clear path to follow to develop and improve its technical department before the Audi's arrival in 2026 although he also believes that it will take some time for the team to fully realize its growth.

« As for next steps, there is a very important and well-researched plan, he explains. We are already implementing it. Attracting all the right talent to the team, to join the good talent already there, is obviously a priority that we are working hard on in the background.

But there are certainly things the team can do better in their current form. Everyone must take a step forward, no matter where we are in this process. I don't think we will reach the final product we are aiming for until 2027, because there is a lot to do. But we will be in much better shape as we approach 2026, and that will give us the opportunity to take a step forward if necessary. »

With the new season knocking on the door, Key expects Sauber to introduce many major improvements itself in the coming year, in order to accelerate development processes ahead of 2026.

« We have several potentially important development items that we need to try to integrate into the car during the 2024 seasonhe concludes. This year, it is not possible to anticipate the development of the first car with an Audi engine for the new regulations of 2026, because the rules prohibit it. But year 25 will be a critical period for year 26. »

Hence the importance of making the Stake team this missing link between Alfa Romeo Racing and Audi F1 Team this year.