Audi F1 and Mattia Binotto brace for a tough 2026 as their new V6 power unit may lack performance against rivals like Mercedes.
Mattia Binotto’s initial assessment upon joining Sauber/Audi F1 was nothing short of alarming: “When I arrived, there were not only zero points, but truly no plan or development in place. And that’s what concerned me the most.”
Six months later, following Nico Hülkenberg’s impressive fifth place in Barcelona, the situation appears to have improved significantly. The updates introduced in Barcelona worked well.
Nothing is won yet for Sauber, of course, but Mattia Binotto is smiling again, and he made that known to The Race.
“I’m enjoying myself a bit more right now, which is great.”
“Steps have been taken in the right direction, and that has given internal credibility to the project.”
“People now realize that we have the resources and the budget to make things happen, to improve our tools, to hire people, and I think that definitely creates a different mindset and spirit within the team.”
Another notable change at Sauber/Audi is the arrival of a true team principal on the operational side: Jonathan Wheatley, former sporting director at Red Bull.
His extensive experience is immensely valuable to the Hinwil-based team, adds the Sauber CEO.
“We both had parallel careers in F1, very similar experiences mainly at the track, and I believe we share the same understanding of what it’s about. We understand what is required and where the gaps are,” Mattia Binotto explains.
“So we don’t even need to discuss much between us, because I think it’s really a world we both understand.”
“It’s not about making things harder,” he says. “It’s about turning it into an advantage, because in the end, a large company like Audi can definitely support our projects, since there are plenty of resources available.”
“Whenever they decide something must be accomplished, they will put everything in place to make it happen.”
Before the Binotto/Wheatley duo arrived, Audi had been bogged down in an internal power struggle between Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann. Did politics, in the Italian’s view, slow down or even derail the team’s progress?
“You call it politics – I wouldn’t call it politics.”
“It’s very normal for a young organization to change roles and positions at the start of its journey.”
“What matters most early on is deciding and finalizing who is responsible for which projects.”
“After that, it’s really about continually improving the internal structure.”
“It’s not about getting rid of people. It’s about bringing in people who can raise the quality of the entire organization.”
“If I also look back at my previous experience, when I started [with Ferrari] in ’95 and when we won in 2000, many people had changed.”
Audi Won’t Have the Best V6 Next Year
While Mattia Binotto is certainly pleased with Sauber’s resurgence this season, he knows the real test will come in 2026.
That’s when Sauber will officially become Audi and run with a German-built power unit. It’s make or break…
Next year, Mattia Binotto will be under real pressure. Is he worried?
“I know that once the Four Rings are on the car, the pressure will rise, not just externally from fans, but certainly internally as well,” he observes.
“So it’s really about the brand’s reputation and performance. We’re flexing our muscles today because we know we’ll be in the fight next year.”
How competitive will Audi’s power unit be next year? While many see Mercedes F1 as the favorite, Mattia Binotto acknowledges that Audi is facing a mountain of challenges — a troubling sign?
“Power units are such a big change, such a major challenge,” he says.
“For Audi, building its own power unit in F1 for the first time is a completely different exercise from anything we’ve been used to. In terms of competitiveness and technology, it’s so different.”
“We’re going through our learning phase right now, so I don’t expect it to be the best power unit in 2026.”
Mattia Binotto isn’t forecasting doom for his team next year, but optimism is clearly in short supply.
“We may even go through bumpy or difficult periods in terms of reliability and performance. But I’d say that’s not unexpected. It’s normal when you raise your competitive level and your ambitions.”
“So again, our goal is to win in 2030, and our objective is to have the best power unit by 2030. And on that point, we have a good plan in place.”
“The team in Neuburg is very motivated. Audi has invested in the right infrastructure. We have all the test benches and all the necessary tools.”
“So whatever happens in 2026, which we cannot judge now, we know we’re far from where we want to be.”
“But again, I don’t think it will be a failure at all. I think it will simply be the beginning of our journey. It will be the first step toward our 2030 goal of becoming champion.”
