Sauber appoint Stefano Sordo in newly-created Performance Director role ahead of Audi tie-up

As Sauber continue to build towards their future as the inaugural Audi Formula 1 team in 2026, the Swiss team have announced the signing of Stefano Sordo in the newly-created role of Performance Director.

Sordo has two decades of experience in motorsport, including an extensive time in F1 with McLaren and Red Bull Racing (including during the energy drink firm’s successive championship wins between 2010-2013).

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His expertise has covered roles including race engineer, head of aerodynamics performance, director of vehicle performance and most recently Technical Director for RLL Racing, competing in American championships IndyCar and IMSA.

Sordo will report into Technical Director James Key, who re-joined Sauber last autumn, as part of the plan to build out and strengthen the technical department under the leadership of CEO Andreas Seidl.

“The appointment of Stefano is an important step in the development of the structure of our technical department,” said Seidl. “Stefano knows what a winning squad needs, brings a wealth of experience to the team and, with the different array of roles he played in the past, he is perfectly placed to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of our technical operations, and address what is required.

“We have a strong technical team in Hinwil, and Stefano’s appointment will help us to harness these skills and turn them into performance as we continue in this crucial time for our outfit, with the Audi F1 works team being readied for its debut.”

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Key added: “Stefano is a key addition to our team, one which will shape our understanding and priorities for the new cars’ performance direction and in-season development, working closely with myself, as well as our Vehicle Performance, Aerodynamics and Track Engineering groups.

“Stefano brings a wealth of experience to the team, combined with his focused and hard-pushing approach, and is a strong and influential team player throughout. I welcome Stefano to the team and look forward to working with him towards our goals.”

Sordo said: “I am delighted to join Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and take on a role that will have a direct impact on unlocking the performance we already have within our company, and help it reach new heights.

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“The team is at a crucial juncture in its history, with the start of the Audi adventure just around the corner, and I am looking forward to tackling the challenge that lies ahead. I am excited about what the future holds: the targets the team has set for itself are ambitious, but I see a lot of confidence from everyone within this organisation.”