Sauber bolsters leadership team with key hire ahead of Audi era

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The Sauber Formula 1 team has strengthened its management lineup by recruiting a senior figure from Mercedes in preparation for Audi's official takeover.

Stefan Strahnz has been appointed as Sauber's Programme Director, a newly created role in which he will report directly to team CEO Andreas Seidl.

Strahnz, who departed Mercedes at the end of June, is set to join the Swiss-based outfit later this year, on October 1.

During his 13-year tenure at Mercedes, Strahnz held various engineering and management positions, most recently serving as Chief Engineer - Cost and Commercial Programmes since December 2020.

Prior to his time at Mercedes, Strahnz honed his skills in leadership roles across the Formula 1 landscape.

He held positions such as design office manager at Lotus-Renault and head of reliability at Renault. His career began with engineering stints at Toyota and BAR-Honda.

Read also: Bottas begs for upgrades as Sauber’s struggles continue

Strahnz's extensive 23-year experience in organizational leadership and engineering makes him a valuable asset for Sauber as the Hinwil squad prepares for Audi's official entry as a works team in 2026.

“I am delighted to welcome Stefan to the team, and I am sure that he will bring an incredible amount of experience from his previous roles, in which he won multiple races and championships, to further complement and strengthen our leadership team," Seidl said.

"With his unique experience, Stefan will play a vital role in driving the team’s overall effectiveness and prepare us on our journey to full finance regulation optimisation as we become the Audi F1 factory team.

"Working closely with myself, the management team and all our expanding technical, operational and finance departments, Stefan’s main mission is to deliver fully streamlined and optimised F1 car programmes, from concept through to track introduction.”

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“I am immensely proud and excited to join the talented people at Sauber Motorsport on our exciting journey to become the Audi F1 factory team in 2026,” added Strahanz.

"I have experienced a similar journey in my previous roles, and I will be applying all my learnings and energy into this new and challenging programme to develop the required tools, processes and culture for sustainable long-term on- and off-track success."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.