Audi said it will hire a development driver in the second half of 2023 to help prepare its F1 entry and advance its F1 power unit for 2026.
Audi will enter F1 in 2026, in three years’ time. While developing its own F1 engine in Ingolstadt, it plans to collaborate with Sauber on chassis development and acquire shares to make it a works team.
Audi F1 boss Adam Baker says it is too early for Audi to discuss a potential driver lineup for 2026.
When asked if Audi was looking to hire a German, Baker clarified that his priority was performance over nationality.
“Obviously it’s attractive, but for us the performance of the drivers comes first,” Audi F1 Racing chief executive Adam Baker told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, arguing that the choice of driver is still “too far away”.
“We haven’t talked about the 2024 drivers yet, so it’s very difficult to say how the driver market will develop in 2026.”
“We will have a development driver on board in the third quarter of 2023, which will be particularly important for the development of the power unit in the Neuburg driving simulator.”
Andreas Seidl was Audi’s first major hire for its F1 project. He was unexpectedly sacked by McLaren last month and placed as CEO at Sauber’s Hinville headquarters.
But more hires are on the way, says Adam Baker.
“We are already positioned internationally on this site and our hiring process is aligned like this,” explained Adam Baker.
“In particular, we are already targeting professionals with F1 experience.”
“It’s the first time a powertrain has been developed in Germany since 2009. So if you need experienced people, you’ll probably find them in the UK, France or Italy.”
