Nico Hulkenberg is encouraged by the news Sauber is opening a Formula 1 hub in the United Kingdom, believing it will “open doors” for top talent to join the team as it transitions into the Audi works outfit.
Audi’s takeover of Sauber means the team will transform into the German marque’s first F1 entry in 2026, and a lot of work needs to be done to mould the outfit into a squad worthy of the four rings.
One thing that has held Sauber back during its time in F1 is its Swiss base, which makes it hard to tempt top F1 employees from the widely regarded hot-bed of talent in the UK’s ‘Motorsport Valley’.
The increased cost of living in Switzerland has even led to Sauber being granted more freedom in the cost cap to make it more competitive in hiring staff.
To further combat this, Sauber announced plans in February that it will open a technical centre in the UK to help attract top staff from the region.
Sauber is evaluating sites in Bicester, Silverstone, and Milton Keynes and intends to commence work on its UK hub this Summer, which will put it right in the heart of F1’s British nucleus, in proximity to eight rival teams.
The move means only Ferrari will remain as a team without a UK base of some sort and Sauber’s new team leader Hulkenberg regards it as a positive move.
“I think it’s helpful, it builds a bridge and it just opens doors for people that don’t want to relocate with family,” the German told select media including Motorsport Week ahead of F1 75.
“You have that whole life, changing situation of where they live, so definitely I think that’s a positive thing and will offer good opportunities going forward in the future.”
UK base is a major step for Sauber’s Audi transition
Establishing a UK base is one of the major steps Sauber has implemented since Mattia Binotto was installed as COO and CTO to usher in the F1 era of Audi.
At the time of the announcement, Binotto said: “We are excited to establish our technical centre in the UK to complement our key site in Hinwil, which will continue to lead our main engineering operations and experience the largest team growth.
“Expanding into the UK allows us to remain close to one of the world’s most dynamic motorsport ecosystems.
“Our vision is to create a strong, collaborative network across Hinwil and the UK, driving innovation and performance.”
It’s a model employed by several of Sauber’s rivals, most notably Haas, which has run its operation across North Carolina, USA, Banbury in the UK and Maranello, Italy.
Racing Bulls operates between Faenza, Italy and recently moved its aerodynamics department from Bicester to Milton Keynes, but has since stated that new hires can choose between working in either base or both.
As global as F1 has become, it’s still hard to get away from the fact the bulk of engineering talent resides in the UK so Sauber’s decision was an important step in its Audi transformation, but Binotto has acknowledged the sheer scale of the task ahead.
“It’s a complete business transformation, from a non-winning team to a winning one, working on tools, methodologies, processes, teams, skills, facilities, culture, and behaviours,” said the Italian.
“There is a lot ahead of us, but everything is planned and on track.
“Yes, we expect to do better in 2025, and there will be high expectations for 2026, but we must be patient because it’s a long journey.
“The team is enthusiastic about this ambitious challenge, and it will be achieved step by step, through continuous improvement.”
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