As Sauber slowly but surely morphs into Audi by 2026, the team will have a lot to do to improve their car and ensure that when the new engine regulations come around, the performance of that year’s car will be up to the German auto manufacturer’s expectations.
Currently, the team is nowhere to that point. Sauber is still the only team without a point this season, and things have shaken up behind the scenes. While Andreas Seidl has left the team, Mattia Binotto, formerly of Ferrari fame, has decided to step in and take over once Audi enters in 2026.
This, surprisingly, did not come as a surprise to Zhou Guanyu, who took the time to talk about it before the Belgian Grand Prix.
“Yeah I think everyone found out literally over this week so I think it’s not like a very before organized decision. It was very quick and sudden this happened. Of course we got info before the release of you know all the news all that.”
“For me let’s say I wasn’t shocked. As a whole group of people we didn’t achieve the goal we set for this season, and that’s kind of the result of it and hopefully that we can make it a further step, at least finishing this season like we hoped for or expected to, because at the moment we are just struggling a little bit”
When asked if he was surprised to hear of the news of his boss changing, he said that business remains business and that in the end, someone needs to lead the team forward, whoever it may be.
“Yeah, you kind of try to process that but in Formula 1 or as a whole group of people especially as an Audi factory team when they come they was expecting at least with the current situation to be in a better place.”
“You see, we have been struggling like this season so they had to make some changes in the team in order to help or try to kind of go into a different direction that we have been taking.
“ I wasn’t shocked just because there were some rumors already as I was saying before, so for me I was expecting something might happen.”
“Then to be happening so quickly just before summer break is obviously a little bit of surprise for everyone but for me as a driver it doesn’t change anything it just means you have to be working with the different people but yourself, myself you know what I want to achieve it’s exactly the same.”
Zhou was also asked who he’s had conversations about his future with, and if the conversation has already started with Binnoto to secure a contract.
“Of course they are the people that you will talk to and if you want to join this team or stay with this team is very clear.”
“Mattia is not someone that’s completely new for the paddock with his experience his knowledge also on the engineering side I think gives a big value for the team but yeah it just means you have to talk to different people.”
When asked if someone new was triggering a reset in contract talks, Zhou shut that down.
“With what they want to have in terms of their goal and for the future, for next year and also for when Audi factory arrives it’s definitely going to be a little bit different and for me of course I don’t have anything new yet because Mattia is not really joining the team until next week.”
“It’s definitely a reset for the management group of people I’m trying to talk to differently and to understand exactly what values you can bring and what they want you to have and to be taking part in this kind of project.”
“Things definitely will be changing around a bit more than what was planned before but from my side I don’t think it changed a lot the overall story or the picture,” he concluded.
