Audi boots Seldl out of Kick Saubar

[Nitrodaze]

The hot news of the moment is that Audi has sacked Andre Seidl from his team principal role at Kick Sauber which would become Audi F1 in 2026. Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto shall take over the roles of team CEO and CTO.

Kick Sauber debuted the 2024 season with a new James Key car which was completely redesigned from the ground up. Unfortunately, the hoped step forward did not materialize. Instead, the team has drifted to the rear of the grid, as the new chassis revealed all sorts of issues. Bad enough for them not to be attractive to Sainz it appears.

Is Seidl's exit a bad thing for Sauber, l wonder? After all, Siedl's and Key's departure from McLaren opened the way for McLaren's newfound progress. Stella stepped up and elevated the team in ways Seidl could not. Kick Sauber's woes are a very bad outcome for James Key as a designer. Those bright ideas from his Toro Rosso days, seem to be evaporating.

Audi formally rebrands the Sauber team as Audi in 2026. It would need to secure a place on the grid among the other big car brands such as Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin. The task of Siedl was to get the chassis to a level that was as close as possible to Aston Martin at least l suspect. Binotto, an engine man, would now have his job cut out to either repair whatever was wrong with the James Key chassis or seek to recruit a new designer for the 2025 season. With Seidl out, it is most likely that Key shall join him out of the door.

[Matthew]

Sauber performance wasn't improving under Seidl and this sacking was always on the cards.

[driverA]

Seidl's exit might be just what Kick Saubar needs, even though it’s a big shake-up. I remember when Seidl left McLaren; it led to some positive changes for them. It’s a chance for Saubar to rethink their strategy and maybe bring in fresh ideas. Binotto has a tough job ahead, but it could mean new opportunities for the team. I’m curious to see if they’ll stick with Key’s design or look for a new direction.

[gm99]

It's actually amazing that SaubEr has been in F1 for over thirty years and people still can't spell it correctly
Then again, there's still those that think it's "MacLaren" and they have been around almost twice as long.

[Nitrodaze]

It's actually amazing that SaubEr has been in F1 for over thirty years and people still can't spell it correctly
Then again, there's still those that think it's "MacLaren" and they have been around almost twice as long.

They are not Sauber anymore, They are "kick" or Stake [not sure what they are nowadays] and soon to be Audi. Tomatoes Tomaatoes.

Probably the team with the worst identity message on the grid.

Jokes aside, l get your point.