Sauber is about to ascertain a United Kingdom base because it prepares to morph into the Audi Formulation 1 manufacturing unit crew in 2026.
The crew’s headquarters will stay within the Swiss municipality of Hinwil, whereas working its energy unit operation in Neuburg, Germany.
However it’s going to now open a 3rd location within the UK’s ‘motorsport valley’, which covers England’s South East and Midlands areas the place seven F1 groups are presently based mostly.
Sauber’s transfer is to capitalise on attracting one of the best expertise accessible by interesting to staff already employed at groups across the Silverstone space.
The Swiss outfit, which completed backside of the 2024 F1 constructors’ standings, hopes that the brand new engineering hub can be opened this summer season, permitting newly recruited employees to stay within the UK fairly than relocating abroad.
This initiative is a key element of the Audi venture’s long-term technique to develop its technical crew. Sauber says it’s potential websites together with Bicester, Silverstone and Milton Keynes forward of Audi’s full takeover for the 2026 marketing campaign.
Mattia Binotto, COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport, acknowledged: “We’re excited to ascertain our technical centre within the UK to enrich our key web site in Hinwil, which can proceed to steer our important engineering operations and expertise the biggest crew development.
Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Group KICK Sauber
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“Increasing into the UK permits us to stay near one of many world’s most dynamic motorsport ecosystems. Our imaginative and prescient is to create a robust, collaborative community throughout Hinwil and the UK, driving innovation and efficiency.”
The UK engineering hub won’t kind a part of the proposed FIA ‘price cap offset’ for 2026, which is about for Sauber to profit from a better price cap resulting from Switzerland’s excessive price of dwelling.
Sauber has lengthy argued its employees prices are larger in consequence, in comparison with its rival groups within the UK and Italy (the place Ferrari and Racing Bulls are based mostly).
“It’s our accountability to be honest,” FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis mentioned on the 2024 United States Grand Prix.
“It turned apparent to us that salaries in sure international locations are a lot, a lot larger and value of life is far larger in sure international locations.
“I see it myself, I reside in Geneva. At any time when I am going to the grocery store I give it some thought. And we felt {that a} crew based mostly in a high-labour-cost nation like Switzerland would find yourself having roughly 30 % and even 40 % fewer individuals engaged on the automotive, which we felt was essentially unfair.
“We have determined that this might both result in us attempting to take some protections from a regulatory level, or it might ultimately imply that groups couldn’t function and a crew like Sauber must principally shut and transfer to a different nation, which we do not assume is the precise means for a world championship to function.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Ben Hunt
Formulation 1
Sauber
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information e-mail updates on these subjects
Subscribe to information alerts
