An enormous downside with Audi’s plan to enter Formulation 1 has been recognized.
Sauber are into their ultimate yr earlier than they may evolve into the Audi works group from 2026 onwards, representing the large German producer’s entry.
However there’s an ongoing subject behind-the-scenes which has hindered them, it has been claimed, regardless of the signing of Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg.
“Since he signed, the CEO has modified. Andreas Seidl introduced him in,” Sky Sports activities F1 commentator David Croft mentioned.
“They’re with no group principal till April.
“From every thing you hear it’s not going notably easily, by way of the transition to Audi.
“I hope this can be a yr for Sauber, their final in F1, the place they’ve a greater yr.”
Massive Audi F1 downside defined
Crofty defined the essential subject which has gone largely unnoticed.
“One of many issues that the Audi venture has is the situation,” he defined.
“Hinwil, as spectacular as Switzerland is, will not be an ideal place to draw employees to. Switzerland is pricey, and also you’re uprooting folks.
“They’re now asserting that they want a base within the UK to make higher use of expertise.
“I’m shocked that didn’t occur two years in the past. Stunned it wasn’t on the radar.
“Persuading folks to maneuver to Switzerland, to uproot their households, will not be a simple factor to do.
“Getting the best folks in is half the battle.
“We don’t know the way good, or not, their engine can be. However there’s stress on Audi to not be a again of the grid group.
“Hulkenberg, I hope his expertise and talent to develop a automobile, can be an enormous asset to that group.
“Gabriel Bortoleto is an effective alternative alongside him. He’s a positive driver who will appeal to sponsorship from Brazil.”
Final yr, Sauber had the worst automobile on the F1 grid.
Drivers Guanyu Zhou and Valtteri Bottas paid the value by shedding their race seats.
The arrival of Hulkenberg and Bortoleto will rejuvenate their storage however the competitiveness of their package deal stays a query mark.
