Sauber has said that it would be a "mistake" to blame the Formula 1 team's switch to Audi in 2026 for its lack of competitiveness in the current campaign. This term, the Hinwil-based squad's on-track endeavors have been eclipsed by its upcoming transition into a works Audi entry following the subsequent regulation change.
Because the team’s redesigned C44 vehicle hasn’t been competitive enough to earn a point in the first nine rounds, Sauber has had a turbulent season thus far.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the representative for the Sauber Team, has admitted that as the development race has quickened, the team has lagged behind its competitors in the midfield.
“I think we can say that the performances are not there, so there is nothing to hide,” Alunni Bravi said.
This term, the Hinwil-based squad’s on-track endeavors have been eclipsed by its upcoming transition into a works Audi entry following the subsequent regulation change.
Because the team’s redesigned C44 vehicle hasn’t been competitive enough to earn a point in the first nine rounds, Sauber has had a turbulent season thus far.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the representative for the Sauber Team, has admitted that as the development race has quickened, the team has lagged behind its competitors in the midfield.
“The reliability issues that have been, I would say, quite evident, have prevented us from translating our early-season performance against our main competitors into results. Now that the other teams—especially Racing Bulls and Alpine—have made significant progress with their most recent updates, we need to close the gap.” Alunni Bravi stated, “I think we can say that the performances are not there, so there is nothing to hide.”
“We are not where we should be on the single laps in qualifying if we want to fight for the points, even though we fixed the reliability issues, especially with the pit stop.”
Speaking in Barcelona earlier in the weekend, Valtteri Bottas—who is not guaranteed a contract until 2025—said Sauber’s chances were being hampered by Audi’s growth.
According to Bottas, “it’s hard to predict because the thing is, you know, so close, the margins are so small.”
“Yeah, there have been a lot of things going on in the team for a better future. So sometimes you might take a step back to take two steps forward. So that’s part of the game, but I hope we’re in better shape. That’s all I can say.” nevertheless, everyone is working extremely hard to understand. “So again, with some new bits specifically for this race, we should be in a better place.”
Alunni Bravi, however, has retracted that statement, stating that the team is not split between Sauber’s on-track endeavors for the ensuing 18 months and the Audi project.
Alunni Bravi stated, “I believe it’s a mistake to mix both things.” “I don’t think, and it shouldn’t, that the current two seasons are being impacted by the training for the Audi works team.
“I believe that we are attempting to address our inadequacies. Since January of last year, Andreas Seidl, the CEO, has been working to strengthen the team involved in this change.
However, improving the current structure and hiring the proper personnel to bolster our technical teams across the board is where the change process really gets started.
When asked whether Bottas’ assertion that it takes one step back to take two steps forward was inaccurate, Alunni Bravi said, “I don’t want to say it’s not accurate. There are not two separate tasks to be done, one for the works team and one for the current team. There are not two separate teams. There is one team. That needs to be the foundation for the works team.”
However, we are obviously not where we should be in terms of investment and recruitment, which is why Audi made the decision in March to pursue a complete takeover of the Sauber Group in order to press for the funding required to move closer to the works team.
Therefore, I believe that even if we are aware of the exact location of the light at the end of the tunnel, we are still in it.