Analysis: How SAUBER’s UK engineering hub Audi’s F1 development can solve a major problem for troubles

Save Opening a technical center for the upcoming Formula 1 entry of Audi appears to solve a large headache for the newborn project, while rival squads also draw new similarities with Has.

It is reported that Saubar is now searching for the campus, on which to open its ‘Saubh Motorsport Technology Center UK’ This means that it is hoping to attract F1 employees mainly in the United Kingdom, while concurrently freeing resources to spend on the development of the car.

The reason for this is that the long -term Hinville Base of the team has proved to be problematic as Saumbar expanded before the arrival of Audi.

Other F1 squads have a much higher cost of living in Switzerland compared to other countries, when it comes to bringing new employees, Saubar has struggled, as it has struggled, because it is to work with its Audi Rebrands The perennial wants to replace the midfield squad. by next year.

To reduce the issue, the FIA ​​has also given a salary cap offset within the 2026 F1 cost cap to accommodate the situation.

The governing body felt that SAUBER/AUDI could also end with the level of staffing below 30–40% on other mass teams due to salary level anomalies.

Statistics of Economic Cooperation and Development Organization (OECD) show average wages in 2022 in Switzerland, which were around $ 80,000, vs. $ 54,000 in the UK.

This is the place where seven of the 10 F1 diarrhea are based, including thousands of experienced and high-educated people living in ‘Motorsport Valley’-this area is estimated to be within an 80-minute drive of the Silverstone Circuit, where all The UK-based F1 teams are located.

And when some people were keen to reduce ‘British prejudice’ regularly in the championship, often as a result of the high number of Padock personnel coming to the UK, Saubar indicated in his press release on Tuesday that this factors Can not be ignored. It wants to achieve its desired expansion and reforms.

“By creating this new feature,” the statement wrote, “The purpose of the Sauber Motorsport to strengthen its appearance in ‘Motorsport Valley’ and collaborate with top experts and to attract local engineering talent for the Audi F1 project A platform is to be installed. “

This step is important because it not only provides Sobber/Audi with a more resource room if more of its employees do not require high Swiss wage level, but also shows that the organization also shows that the organization goes to attract additional engineering talent Ready for

It has already secured the principal of a new team in Red Bull Sporting Manager Jonathan Wheatley, but the top earnings in the F1 squad have been exempted from the cost cap, all this expansion below the series for full profit is about to.

Here two new similarities between Sauber/Audi and HAAS have been on the midfield rivals again in the last decade-In 2024 before slipping under the Peking Order in the east, while later it was received on a large scale. .

Whereas RB There is another team in a uniform position of division of its features in countries in view of the recent Red Bull Push to close the fanza-based squad with the rest of its F1 operation in the UK. Employees based in three countries.

Kannapolis with HAAS (United States Home of original company Haas Automation), its corporate headquarters, its main F1 feature in Banbury in UK and its design office in Italy (Maranello Ferrari Factory), Saubber/Audi already being held in Newborg, Germany, as well as staffing the Swiss Hinville Factory and now the new UK office.

But it in itself provides a parallel with Haas and length teams should go to attract employees.

As part of his plan to overcome the status of its latest constructors in 2023, Has implemented its first F1 recruitment drive in the last summer, as well as invested in a new team motor hem The employees are designed to draw attention. Race. Has is currently evaluating the scheme of whether to redevelop your tight Banbari site or even go to a new place completely.

Such changes were desired by the former Has Boss Guon Steriner, but receiving the signal on such development was obtained by his successor Ayao Komatsu. And yet, he recently admitted that the team’s staffing level remains only around “330 people”, even more than six months old with the recruitment stage.

“It is nowhere in the context of (may be),” Komatsu said in a media briefing participating by Autosport.

But, as often occurs in F1, perception is important to achieve goals.

Changes in the new Haas Motor Hit and Possible factory will potentially reduce the will of a large F1 employees, as it tries to expand with its much lower head count than other teams.

But the Haas are somewhat stuck to funda (low) costs to fund the parts purchased from Cap Cash Ferrari and the designs receiving Dalla to build it.

Whereas, because it designs and manufactures its F1 car so much, SAUBER/AUDI will be able to exploit additional resources more easily with its new feature building.

This is also the second piece of good news, which the distressed team has done in the last summer since its massive management shake-up, where former-Farari team’s boss Matia Binoto was established as the overall project leader. Was.

The first Qatari Investment Authority was taking a 30% stake for a $ 350 million report at a time, when Audi original company Volkswagen had a profit and axes by profit hits and jobs.

Therefore, Tuesday’s news is another indication that the F1 team is getting elements to strengthen themselves amidst such a difficult situation, coming from the performance gain, SAUBER/AUDI is made in C44, Which is in 2024 with the upgradation of its large floor. Season.