Sauber announce senior appointment with fresh arrival from Mercedes ahead of Audi F1 switch

Audi will officially arrive in F1 in 2026 after taking over the existing Sauber team

Sauber have announced another key appointment for their upcoming Audi F1 switchover, with Stefan Strähnz joining the team as programme director.

Strähnz has been with Mercedes for the past 13 years, and will take on the role in October as he moves into a job that will see him report directly to Sauber Group CEO Andreas Seidl, who is overseeing the team’s transition to Audi.

Audi F1 announce key arrival with new programme director

Strähnz has been in the Formula 1 paddock for more than two decades in various roles with Toyota, BAR, Renault and Lotus, before moving to Mercedes – making his way into technical management and leadership positions there before heading into operational and organisational strategy development and implementation.

Sauber Group CEO Seidl said: “I am delighted to welcome Stefan to the team, and I am sure that he will bring an incredible amount of experience from his previous roles, in which he won multiple races and championships, to further complement and strengthen our leadership team.

“With his unique experience, Stefan will play a vital role in driving the team’s overall effectiveness and prepare us on our journey to full finance regulation optimisation as we become the Audi F1 factory team.

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“Working closely with myself, the management team and all our expanding technical, operational and finance departments, Stefan’s main mission is to deliver fully streamlined and optimised F1 car programmes, from concept through to track introduction.”

Strähnz added: “I am immensely proud and excited to join the talented people at Sauber Motorsport on our exciting journey to become the Audi F1 factory team in 2026.

“I have experienced a similar journey in my previous roles, and I will be applying all my learnings and energy into this new and challenging programme to develop the required tools, processes and culture for sustainable long-term on- and off-track success.

“It is a true privilege to join such an iconic brand as Audi with all its previous technology and motorsport achievements. I look forward to taking a leadership role in our ambitious targets to win championships in F1.”

Audi will complete their full takeover of the Sauber team in time for the start of the 2026 season, in which Formula 1’s significant regulation changes will take effect – with new chassis and power unit rules coming into the sport.

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