Mattia Binotto Slams Sauber's Poor Performance - 'Cannot Afford It'

Saajan Jogia | Sep 1, 2024

May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Kick Sauber driver Zhou Gunayu (24) races into turn one during F1 practice at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Sauber's new CEO and CTO, Mattia Binotto, has called out the team's underperformance at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, highlighting the zero points accumulated in the 2024 season thus far. He addressed the need to urgently ramp up systems, tools, staff, and infrastructure to elevate the team's position in Formula 1 before Audi's takeover of the team in 2026.

Binotto was recently hired by Audi as a part of its efforts to restructure the team. The former Ferrari team principal's hiring also paved the way for Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who will take over his role as Sauber team principal in 2025.

With less than two years to go, Binotto highlighted the priority of improving the performance before Audi takes over the outfit. He bluntly emphasized that the present scenario, where the team sits at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship, is not affordable. Speaking to the media, he explained:

“We cannot afford it.

“I think this is the team that has to become, in the future, a winning team. And the only way to do that is starting to move up, progressing. We need to train our muscles for the future.

“So, yes, I think we need certainly to improve. That's important for ourselves, that's important for the team. It's important for the brand. It's important for our partners. And we cannot somehow accept the current position.”

Binotto highlighted the "painful" situation of the team at present, suggesting the need to balance multiple priorities at the same time for consistent progress. He added:

“We cannot hide behind the fact that we have been last and second last in the Zandvoort race, and qualifying [here], the same positions some distance to the cars ahead. So, we need to put effort in improving.

“We need to balance all the priorities and our efforts from the short to the medium and the long term. But I don't think certainly that our position today is a comfortable one for us at all. It's very painful.

“As I said, we need to train our muscles, and we need to improve because the solid foundations do not come in one day. It's a team that needs to do continuous progress every single day, step by step. So, starting from as soon as possible I would say.”

Since he took over the dual role on 1st August, the 54-year-old team boss revealed that the team has some great people. However, he also highlighted several areas that need improvement to compete effectively with other Formula 1 teams. He said:

“In a couple of weeks, you cannot see everything [Since his joining on 1st August].

“Certainly, you've got only a first impression of what you may find or see, both in Hinwil for the chassis, or in Neuburg for the powertrain.

“But I think there are great people. We've got a clear intentions and objectives, ahead of us to become a winning team. But certainly, there is much to do, that is the first feedback.

“We are competing against teams that have been for many years in F1. They are big organisations, up and down. And that is not our case.

“We need to ramp up in terms of people, in terms of organisation, in terms of tools, process, methodologies, facilities. We need to merge, certainly, with what we're doing in Hinwil together with the one we are doing in Neuburg on the powertrain.

“And it's about as well, culture and mindset, because to become a winning team, it's about changing our mindset towards what is required.”

Since joining Audi last year, CEO Gernot Döllner has adjusted the team's timeline to create a more realistic strategy for improving their performance in Formula 1, reflecting the German manufacturer's long-term commitment to the sport. He added:

“We see our F1 project as really a long-term project.

“After I joined Audi, in September of last year, we did an evaluation of our project, and it ended up with the set-up we found, and also we maybe recalibrated our time path to a more realistic one.

“We can't tell details as we are still discussing several aspects of how to sort it out, but I think we are quite realistic when it comes to time.”