Audi recruit former Mercedes man for F1 team: 'He brings unique experience'

Audi has struck a major blow ready for their arrival in Formula 1. The team currently goes by the name Stake F1 but will be called Audi from 2026. The management team will be strengthened with the arrival of Stefan Strahnz, who previously worked for Mercedes.

Strahnz will join Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber on 1 October 2024, where he will take up the new position of Programme Director. He will report directly to CEO Andreas Seidl, who previously transferred from McLaren. Audi is undergoing a massive restructuring ahead of its entry into F1 in 2026.

Seidl is delighted with Strahnz's arrival. "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," said the CEO.

Strahnz has over 20 years of experience in Formula 1, working for Toyota, BAR, Renault, Lotus and Mercedes, where he spent almost 13 years. During that time, he held various technical positions, before moving into technical management and executive positions. He eventually moved to developing and implementing operational and organisational strategies.