There are now just ten months left until Audi’s official debut in Formula 1 as a constructor, when it will take over from Sauber coinciding with the introduction of the new technical regulations, which will feature entirely new power units focused primarily on the electric component. This is precisely the area Audi has heavily invested in to embark on this ambitious venture.
However, Audi’s approach to its debut has not been without obstacles and changes. For the second time in less than a year—since Mattia Binotto took over the project from Andreas Seidl last July—the German manufacturer has decided to restructure its Formula 1 division’s management.
Mattia Binotto, previously Chief Operating and Technical Officer, has now been appointed head of the Audi F1 project, while the now-former CEO Adam Baker has left the company by mutual agreement with senior management.
“We would like to thank Adam Baker for his commitment over the past years. He played a decisive role in shaping the strategic concept for Audi’s entry into Formula 1 and initiated the development of the power unit in Neuburg,” said Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of AUDI AG.
This decision effectively centralizes responsibility even further around Mattia Binotto, while the role of CEO has been entirely eliminated to simplify the command structure. The former Ferrari engineer will oversee development both at the Hinwil site—currently being expanded and dedicated to designing the Sauber chassis—and at the Neuburg facility, where the power unit for the 2026 season is being developed.
A third facility is also being added, currently under construction in the United Kingdom, with the goal of recruiting new personnel and attracting British talent in an area where many teams have their operational base.
Audi explained that the aim of this reorganization is to unify management of all F1 project activities, promoting deeper integration between the various departments that will make up the future team. This is a critical point: with three separate sites, the challenge will be to effectively coordinate operations and ensure the group works as efficiently as possible.
Mattia Binotto’s task will therefore be to ensure integration of all key elements, optimizing processes to increase the speed and quality of development. However, he won’t be doing this alone: as of May 1, 2025, Christian Foyer has joined the board of Audi Formula Racing GmbH (AFR), the company responsible for the F1 power unit, as Chief Operating Officer (COO), overseeing operational processes.
Born in Aachen (Germany) in 1977, Foyer is an engineer specialized in combustion engines and has around 18 years of experience managing operations and leading projects for various F1 teams and manufacturers.
Stefan Dreyer will continue to lead development of the power unit in Neuburg as CTO and will also assume the new role of spokesperson for the AFR board. Mattia Binotto will remain in overall charge of the project, while trackside sporting management will be handled by Jonathan Wheatley, who has served as Team Principal and board spokesperson for Sauber Motorsport AG since April.
Working closely with Mattia Binotto, Wheatley is accompanying and leading the transformation of the racing team, which is reorganizing with the stated goal of becoming competitive for the world championship starting in 2030. His role will be to manage Audi’s trackside operations and represent the brand in F1’s strategic meetings as Team Principal.
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