Sauber has announced that managing director and team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi will leave the Formula One outfit at the end of January.
Confirmed:
- Alunni Bravi to depart Sauber after eight years, having served as the public face of the Swiss team since 2023
- Jonathan Wheatley is set to take over as team principal upon Audi’s entry in 2026
Context:
With Alunni Bravi stepping down, it is unclear who will be taking short-term operational control of the team as Wheatley still has to serve a period of gardening leave after departing Red Bull Racing before joining in April. Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is on board as the chief operating officer and chief technical officer, so he may be required to fill some forward-facing roles until Wheatley is officially in place
This is the latest behind-the-scenes change for a team that has navigated various issues before even debuting in Formula One. Andreas Seidl, chief executive of Sauber Motorsport and Sauber Technologies, was tempted away from McLaren Racing, but departed in July last year along with Oliver Hofmann, chairman of the boards of directors of all Sauber companies.
On the surface, this is another step towards clarifying and simplifying the management structures at the team.
Comment:
“Having worked closely with him in the months since my arrival to Hinwil, I want to pay tribute to Alessandro, a true team player who came to embody the essence of Sauber throughout the years,” said Binotto.
“Alessandro played a wide range of roles within the team, steering it through difficult and exciting times alike. As he moves onto a new venture, the whole company would like to thank him for all his energy and contributions over the years and wish him the best for the future.”
Alunni Bravi added: “It is an emotional time as my journey with Sauber reaches its end. Since I joined in 2017, I have seen this team grow and change beyond what anyone could have imagined. This organisation went through exciting and difficult times alike, all without ever losing its spirit and its commitment, which is something I find inspiring, and I was proud of being able to represent the team as its public face in the last two years.
“As I move on to a new project, I want to thank Finn Rausing, all those who put so much trust and faith in me at Sauber and Audi, and all the colleagues I have been working with for the last eight years. This team is a family and has a bright future ahead.”
Coming next:
This is the team’s last season competing under the Sauber moniker, with Stake and Kick currently sharing naming rights for the outfit. Volkswagen-owned Audi will have 100 per cent ownership of the team when it switches to the German marque’s branding in 2026.
Go deeper:
- Alessandro Alunni Bravi on why replacing Alfa Romeo with Stake gives Sauber ‘a strong identity’
- Synthetic fuels are coming to F1, but here’s why they could also be a solution for the global automotive industry
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