Sauber Motorsport boss Mattia Binotto has revealed that Audi doesn’t anticipate being competitive at the sharp end in Formula 1 until the 2030 season at the earliest.
Audi will embark upon its maiden venture in F1 when the Sauber team that it owns undergoes a rebrand to coincide with all-new technical regulations landing in 2026.
Despite persistent reports that it could elect to pull the plug on its impending entrance, Audi has remained adamant that it has a “long-term commitment” to the series.
However, the German marque is poised to endure an uphill task as it combines a nascent engine build with a Sauber operation that hasn’t scored a point this season.
Binotto, who was appointed over the summer to head the transition, has admitted Audi will have a “gap to recover” on the powertrain side to the established suppliers.
The Swiss-Italian has indicated that vital to reducing the deficit to the top teams will be to go on a mass recruiting spree to match the numbers the leading sides have.
“We are at the beginning of the climb,” he told Corriere della Sera. “In front of us there is Everest, and now we can only see the base.
“We are deciding which side to climb, but it is important to establish a path.
“If we compare ourselves with our opponents, we have about 400 fewer people.
“We need to add to them to be able to compete at the same level: they cannot be found in two days, and not necessarily in F1. Our choice is to invest in young people.”
Audi using Ferrari/Mercedes blueprint
Binotto has stated that Audi has taken the blueprint that Ferrari in the 1990s and Mercedes in the 2010s established to pinpoint when winning will be achievable in F1.
Asked about the timeframe in which it will take Audi to taste success in the series, Binotto responded: “Other teams have taken years to get to the top.
“[Jean] Todt joined Maranello in 1993 and the first Constructors’ title was in 1999.
“Same thing for Mercedes. It will take five to seven years. We expect to be able to fight in 2030.”
Discounting Red Bull’s two teams, Sauber holds the one remaining seat on the 2025 grid that hasn’t been filled as it considers the options to partner Nico Hulkenberg.
Binotto has divulged that Mick Schumacher, whom he worked with during his Ferrari tenure, is a name that is being discussed as it prepares to venture into a new era.
READ MORE: Sauber ‘evaluating’ Mick Schumacher for vacant 2025 F1 drive
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