The Audi-owned Sauber Formula 1 team is to set up a technology centre in the United Kingdom in a bid to help it attract a bigger pool of engineering talent.
Throughout its F1 history, Sauber has been based in Hinwil in Switzerland, and its location has proved a challenge in being able to secure top-calibre staff and keep them on board for the long haul.
The need for personnel to relocate to a different country, allied to the higher cost of living there, has been something that it has always faced difficulties in overcoming.
Matters have become increasingly more difficult with the F1 cost cap too, as Sauber does not have the means any more to encourage staff to move by offering lucrative salaries that are a step above what other squads can pay.
As part of an evaluation process conducted by Audi COO Mattia Binotto aimed at moving the team forward and allowing it to employ the staff it needs in the future, a decision has been taken to open an engineering hub in the heart of what is known as the UK’s ‘Motorsport Valley’.
It is currently evaluating sites in Bicester, Silverstone and Milton Keynes and wants to have the UK Technical Centre operational by this summer.
With the growing use of video conferencing, plus Audi working across separate sites anyway because its engines will be produced in Neuburg in Germany, having technical staff working out of the UK is a logical step.
Speaking about the move, 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."
The decision to open a facility in the UK comes alongside efforts to open up an allowance in the cost cap rules to help squads like Sauber that operate in countries with higher wages.
An adjustment under the remit of a “consideration factor” based on average wages is being put in place for 2026, which should hand Audi extra income that can help alleviate some of the handicap it faces in having higher salary costs.
The choice of a UK factory is not aimed at capitalising on the cost cap situation but is purely about being able to offer a more attractive package for staff to join the squad who previously may have been reluctant to move out of the UK.
