Firm warning from Mattia Binotto in Audi F1 ‘cannot accept’ and ‘cannot afford’ Sauber verdict

Mattia Binotto says Audi “cannot accept” Sauber’s performances

As Valtteri Bottas fell to 22nd in the standings in a 20-driver field, new chief Mattia Binotto says Audi F1 “cannot accept” Sauber’s current results.

Sauber, which will be rebranded Audi in 2026, are locked to the bottom of the championship standings as the team has yet to score a single point in 16 races.

Mattia Binotto labelled Sauber’s results ‘very painful’

Left with just eight races in which to turn their season around and at the very least challenge Williams, who have six points, for ninth place, Sauber showed no signs of that happening in the two races since the summer break.

Plum last at the Dutch Grand Prix, they were again at the very back of the field in qualifying at Monza before Valtteri Bottas made a few positions to finish P16.

But with Williams’ new signing Franco Colapinto 12th on his debut, Bottas now finds himself 22nd on the Drivers’ log in a sport that only fields 20 regular drivers as he’s behind Colapinto and also one-off Ferrari driver Oliver Bearman. The Finn’s best results were back-to-back P13s in Monaco and Canada.

“We cannot afford it,” was Binotto’s blunt assessment as per Motorsport.com. “I think this is the team that has to become, in the future, a winning team. And the only way to do that is starting to move up, progressing. We need to train our muscles for the future.

“So, yes, I think we need certainly to improve. That’s important for ourselves, that’s important for the team. It’s important for the brand. It’s important for our partners. And we cannot somehow accept the current position.

“We cannot hide behind the fact that we have been last and second last in the Zandvoort race, and in qualifying [here] the same positions some distance to the cars ahead. So, we need to put effort in improving.

“We need to balance all the priorities and our efforts from the short to the medium and the long term. But I don’t think certainly that our position today is a comfortable one for us at all. It’s very painful.

“As I said, we need to train our muscles, and we need to improve because the solid foundations do not come in one day. It’s a team that needs to do continuous progress every single day, step by step. So, starting from as soon as possible I would say.”

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Binotto, Ferrari’s former team boss, was appointed Audi’s new Formula 1 chief operating and chief technical officer and took up the reins at the beginning of August.

He revealed his first impressions are that while there are “great people” within the Sauber team and Audi’s engine project, there is a lot that still needs to be done.

“In a couple of weeks, you cannot see everything,” he said. “Certainly, you’ve got only a first impression of what you may find or see, both in Hinwil for the chassis, or in Neuburg for the powertrain.

“But I think there are great people. We’ve got a clear intentions and objectives, ahead of us to become a winning team. But certainly, there is much to do, that is the first feedback.

“We are competing against teams that have been for many years in F1. They are big organisations, up and down. And that is not our case.

“We need to ramp up in terms of people, in terms of organisation, in terms of tools, process, methodologies, facilities. We need to merge, certainly, with what we’re doing in Hinwil together with the one we are doing in Neuburg on the powertrain.

“And it’s about as well, culture and mindset, because to become a winning team, it’s about changing our mindset towards what is required.”

Sauber/Audi have yet to announce their full 2025 driver line-up having only confirmed Nico Hulkenberg. According to reports, it’s Bottas who is leading the running to remain with the team for a fourth consecutive season.

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