The Swiss team set to become Audi under the new regulations in 2026 has been undergoing a massive managerial renovation, with plenty of senior figures and experienced engineers having been announced already.
Among the biggest announcements of the past year there definitely was Ferrari’s long term Team Principal Mattia Binotto, replacing new CEO Andreas Seidl, as well as former Red Bull’s Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley who has been appointed as the German team’s Team Principal.
Another significant signing, with a great deal of experience in the sport will be reconnected with a former colleague at Audi as Ignacio Rueda has joined the Swiss outlet. Rueda has covered the roles of Head of Race Strategy, since 2014, and Sporting Director for Ferrari’s Formula 1 side between 2021 and 2023, after earlier experiences at McLaren, Jordan, Renault and Lotus.
The Spanish engineer had left the Italian Scuderia at the end of the past season and replaces Beat Zehnder as Sporting Director of Sauber, for the first managerial change of the Binotto era. The Swiss is a veteran of the team, having worked with them since its foundation in 1993 and even earlier, working as mechanic during their previous partnership with Mercedes Benz.
Zehnder had been covering a similar role since 1994, and will now switch to the newly-instated position of Director of Signature Programs and Operations, with the Swiss team mentioning he will aid in ensuring that, “the rich heritage of Sauber Motorsport continues to grow, uphold its core values and lead efforts to innovate and shape its future.”
Another part of his job will be to smooth the transition to the new Audi structure, set to come in the upcoming season, with Rueda becoming instead responsible for all sporting activities as well as communications with the FIA and trackside matters.
A second signing was announced with Giampaolo Dall’Ara joining Sauber-to-beAudi on a second newly-implemented role. The Italian has in fact been signed as Head of Racing Engineering, and will follow the Swiss team’s operations both on track and in the factory.
Dall’Ara has already worked with Sauber as Head of Track engineering, and has collaborated with Alfa Romeo’s DTM team in a similar role as well until 2016, year during which he interrupted the collaborations in order to open his own consultancy firm.
Sauber has highlighted the importance of these directional changes and saluted them as a morale boost: “[They] infuse the team with renewed confidence as they strengthen the organisation as it prepares for future challenges and opportunities, with a bright future as a factory team ahead”.
Among the matters which will need to be solved in the upcoming weeks for the directors will definitely be the choice of Nico Hulkenberg’s 2025 driver partner, with Binotto having mentioned however that the team will take its time to make the final choice. Apparently, the Swiss CEO will be looking for a young talent in the making who will tie its destiny to Sauber’s in the long run, leading its quest for podiums and championship battles in three to five years’ time.
