As COO and CTO, Binotto takes over the operative management of Sauber Motorsport AG at the site in Hinwil and the technical development of the future racing cars; in this role, he is the overall technical interface between the development teams in Hinwil and that in Neuburg an der Donau, which is responsible for development of the power unit.
By July 2025 at the latest, Wheatley will complete Audi’s new management team for Formula One in the role of Team Principal and management spokesperson. He will focus above all on the racing performance of the future F1 factory team, on operational management of all race events, and on representing Audi at Team Principal level in matters relating to Formula One.
https://www.sauber-g...s/detail/test-7
James Key - Technical Director
other recently recruited (in chronological order):
Lee Stevenson - Chief Mechanic
Stefano Sordo - Performance Director (newly created)
Stefan Strahnz - Programme Director
Giampaolo Dall’Ara - Head of Race Engineering (newly created)
Ignacio 'Inaki' Rueda - Sporting Director (replaces Beat Zehnder)
From Binotto's perspective, the previous management, initially led by Andreas Seidl but then joined by Oliver Hoffmann, was too focused on the longer term picture at the expense of what was happening right now.
It is what triggered Sauber's fall down the order and also impacted the mindset of the team where it did not really have a clearly defined strategy of what it should be doing today."When I joined in August, really, it was like a team that was almost frozen," added Binotto."So while making sure that we had the proper plans in our journey to become a top team in the future, we really needed to boost the team for improvement and possibly already during the current season."How important the current season was was not only about not finishing with zero points, because finishing 10th with zero or 10th with four points does not change much."But it was more for us to make sure that we have defined the proper direction of development for next season as well – and being energized through the wintertime."Today, I can see a team that is more convinced on what's required, what's necessary for next season, and hopefully we can further develop the current car."
https://www.motorspo...plans/10683674/
The final upgrade stage of the Sauber C44 was spread over three stages. In Austin, a new front wing was fitted to the car, along with newly panelled front and rear wishbones and rear brake vents. The front suspension was modified for the Brazilian GP. The decisive step, however, was a completely new underbody in Las Vegas. This was completed in Abu Dhabi with small changes to the diffuser. The aim was to flatten the aerodynamic map. Previously, the Sauber was only good in a few corners, but lost more in the others than it gained in its strong sections.
The car's main problem areas were slow and medium-speed corners. Chief engineer Xavi Pujolar reveals: ‘It was precisely these weak points that we addressed with the new underfloor and we immediately felt progress in Las Vegas. We are no longer only strong in three or four corners per track. The downforce is better distributed.’According to Pujolar, the progress was in the two-tenths range. Doesn't sound like much, but it is given the close gaps in the field. ‘This has brought us back into contention from last place.’ Sauber has managed the balancing act between more downforce and better drivability with the latest upgrade. ‘The drivers have had more confidence in their car since then.’The most important news for Sauber, however, is that the engineers under James Key have now found a direction that can be built on in 2025. ‘The next step is the decisive one,’ Pujolar believes. ‘Now we have to prove a second time that we are moving in this direction. We've also seen with other teams that it's easy to go backwards if you overdo it. The aim must be to increase downforce without damaging the characteristics of the aerodynamics.’
https://www.auto-mot...-upgrades-2025/
Just improve the car properly and it can be a decent year...
Edited by rocque, 02 January 2025 - 16:32.
