Jörg Zander, who has been serving as Audi’s technical director since 2015, is to join the Sauber F1 team, according to a report in German-language publication Auto Motor und Sport.
The 52-year-old is the latest in a series of high-profile recruits by the Swiss outfit since its change of ownership over the summer.
Indeed, Zander was preceded by Xevi Pujolar, who signed as head of track engineering, Nicolas Hennel de Beaupreau as head of aerodynamics, and Ruth Buscombe as strategy engineer.
The position of technical director has been vacant since Mark Smith left Sauber on the eve of the current Formula One campaign.
Zander boasts extensive F1 experience, having worked on Toyota’s project before joining BAR-Honda. Williams hired him in 2005 before Zander moved across to BMW Sauber one year later.
In 2007, he returned to Honda, then a works team, where he served as deputy technical director. Zander stayed until mid-2009, also taking part in the design of that year’s Brawn GP.
He then went on to create his own engineering company, JZ-Engineering, in Switzerland.
FEATURE: Foul Play or Foul Language
Scene at the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix
Mexican Grand Prix - Quotes of the week
15 minutes with ... Nico Rosberg
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Lewis Hamilton: Australian GP – Albert Park Lewis Hamilton’s very first Grand Prix weekend…
One driver has a hugely famous name, the other is a special Grand Prix winner,…
As the Ferrari factory in Maranello glows in festive crimson, a sense of anticipation hums…
Lando Norris had just done the hardest thing in motorsport – winning the Formula 1…
A veteran of 41 Grands Prix starts, Howden Ganley - seen here above hitting a…
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc may not have ended the season with a silver trophy in hand,…