Binotto: Our ambition is to fight for points in every race

In an extensive interview released by the team's press office on the occasion of the Stake F1 Sauber C45 launch at F1 75 LIVE in London, Binotto made it clear that despite 2025 being the final year of their transition to Audi, ambitions are not blunted by this. His goal is points in every race for his team this year with veteran Nico Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto leading the charge.

Binotto said: “The 2025 season is approaching, and there is a lot happening back at the factory right now. It’s a demanding but exciting time as we prepare for lights-out in Melbourne. There have been many changes, and, I have to say, the team is doing well. We are treating this season as a fresh opportunity.

“While 2026 will bring a new era with Audi, 2025 is still very important for us and our development, and I believe both goals can align. Doing well this year is crucial for us. We finished last season on a better path, and the developments we brought at the end of 2024 showed we can improve our car. That’s where we’re starting from.

“Our ambition is to do better than 2024 and prove to ourselves that we can fight for points in every race. The team is excited, focused, and passionate about the challenge ahead," revealed the Sauber boss.

Binotto expressed optimism about the team’s new driver pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto: “As said, we have a new lineup this season, with Nico bringing experience and speed, and Gabriel adding youthful energy and fresh perspective. It’s exciting for us, but it also presents a challenge in ensuring they work well together.

“The key is for them to collaborate because this is a new project for the team, and the focus should be on the team’s growth, not individual results. The drivers’ contributions to our success are what matter most this season.

“Nico will be an important reference for Gabriel, and Gabriel, being so young, will offer great insight into what rookies can bring in terms of speed. I’m confident the two will work well together. It will be great for them to be on the grid, racing side by side, fighting not just for themselves, but for the team and for the best possible result in Stake Sauber’s final year on the grid.”

With 2026 on the horizon, Binotto emphasised the importance of culture and leadership within the team: “Culture is one of the most important pillars of our transformation into a winning team and into the Audi F1 factory team of the future,” he said. “Focusing on culture, behaviours, and mindset is one of our key tasks right now. It’s about having a clear vision and mission, and ensuring strong internal communication so everyone understands what our future looks like, what our plans are, and what our strategy is.”

“We need to merge everything—Sauber’s chassis, the powertrain—into one unified team with a clear objective. As I mentioned earlier, this is a crucial task, but most of it comes down to communication and sharing ideas.

“Since joining, I have seen great progress in this area. The team is tackling the challenge with passion and enthusiasm. Once everyone is aligned on what we want to achieve, the right behaviours will follow. I am very enthusiastic and positive, knowing that culture is a key area where we must invest, as it’s one of the most important pillars for our success.”

Binotto acknowledged the intense competition in Formula 1 and the importance of sustained development: “Formula 1 is an environment where every millisecond counts, and the speed of development is crucial,” he said. “I have always said that the performance objectives each team aims to achieve will happen—it’s just a matter of who gets there first, and it all comes down to the speed and rate of development.

“While we must stay focused on improving our rate of development, both as Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and as the future Audi F1 factory team, we cannot get stuck in the day-to-day. We need to think about our entire journey, steering the future, not just focusing on the short term.

“For us, 2025 will be about balancing on-track results and development while keeping an eye on the future. It’s not just about the transition to Audi but setting our sights on the seasons to come. We need to make sure we are setting our objectives for 2030 and guiding the entire team towards that long-term vision.”

As the team prepares for its transformation into the Audi F1 factory outfit, Binotto stressed that expectations must be managed realistically: “As we look toward the transition to Audi, there are high expectations. Many may expect Audi to be very strong in 2026 already, but we have clearly stated that our goal is to fight for a championship in 2030. It will take several seasons to be ready for that.

“What matters now is progressing each season and developing from now until 2030. Our immediate objectives don’t conflict with our long-term goals; it’s about setting the right targets for 2025, 2026, 2027, and beyond.”

“We are guiding our future with a strategic plan in place. It’s a complete business transformation, from a non-winning team to a winning one, working on tools, methodologies, processes, teams, skills, facilities, culture, and behaviours.”

“There is a lot ahead of us, but everything is planned and on track. Yes, we expect to do better in 2025, and there will be high expectations for 2026, but we must be patient because it’s a long journey. The team is enthusiastic about this ambitious challenge, and it will be achieved step by step, through continuous improvement.”

Binotto also highlighted the importance of innovation as the team builds towards 2026 and beyond: “The team is now focused on its future in 2025, embracing innovation in every aspect,” he said. “While we will be as aggressive as possible with the 2025 car developments, innovation goes beyond just technical advancements.

“It’s about how we design, simulate, and develop in the wind tunnel and simulator—there is so much room for growth. Looking at where we are today and what we can achieve, the opportunities are immense. It’s almost like starting from a white paper.

“We can apply this not only to car design and development but also to sustainability. With Formula One’s 2030 goals in mind, sustainability will be a key factor in our journey, and it’s crucial for the future Audi F1 factory team as well.”

Reflecting on what the Audi F1 Project represents, Binotto was clear about its core values: “The Audi F1 Project stands for 'Vorsprung', for innovation. That’s what Audi is all about, and it’s at the heart of the future Audi F1 factory team,” he said. “It’s not just about technical innovation; it’s about innovating across every area of the team.”

“Innovation in all departments, in every aspect of our work—that’s our clear vision. Everything Audi has done in the past has been driven by innovation and the concept of 'Vorsprung', and everything Audi and its factory team will do in the future will continue to be about it," concluded Binotto.

With an ambitious project ahead, Binotto and his team remain focused on delivering steady progress in 2025 while laying the foundation for the team’s future as a championship contender.