Team Boss reveals the harsh truth for independent F1 teams: "It's quite impossible"

Fred Vasseur discusses the obstacles facing independent teams.

Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur has explained why independent teams will struggle in the long term to compete in Formula 1. 

Following the announcement that Sauber will become Audi F1 Team in 2026, the potential for this new partnership has been discussed at length by fans and media alike.

Whilst Sauber will continue to develop and design the car from its base in Switzerland, Audi will build its own power units and invest its financial resources to help propel this partnership.

Alfa Romeo will part ways with Sauber Motorsport in 2023, leaving a two-year gap where the Swiss-based squad has no planned title sponsor to provide additional funding. 

Currently sixth in the standings, the team doesn't appear especially desperate to secure financial backing. 

However, speaking to the media about Sauber's agreement with Audi, Fred Vasseur painted a far less pleasant picture:

"On the short term view, first: it won't have a big impact except that for us, we know we can go to the next step. 

"And it will be a huge opportunity in terms of recruitment to be more attractive, also for the sponsors for the future. 

"But medium term, for sure, it's a game changer. 

"We will have this kind of partnership [with Audi], and I think F1 is getting more and more difficult. 

"The F1 did a huge step up in the last 10 years, and to stay as an independent team - it's quite impossible from my point of view. 

"It was probably the best option we could add, and we are more than happy to have this kind of deal for the future. 

Vasseur explained that even the budget cap is unable to provide independent teams with the ability to sustain themselves in Formula 1:

"Yeah, because we are still far away from the budget cap. That means we are fighting to be at the budget cap. 

"And even in this, we are still far away on that... We are still far away from the budget cap. 

"If you want to have a long-term view, and you only have three or four independent teams, it will be more and more difficult."