Sauber to Audi F1 Team

1993–2005: the independent Swiss years

Sauber

Independent Swiss constructor; Ferrari customer engines.

Peter Sauber's sports-car team entered Formula One in 1993 with Mercedes-badged Ilmor engines. It became known for reliability, quiet competence and giving debuts to Kimi Räikkönen, Felipe Massa and Nick Heidfeld.

Petronas backing from 1997 and a Ferrari engine relationship kept the team stable, but a private Swiss operation could not fund the manufacturer arms race of the 2000s. BMW bought a controlling stake in 2005.

2006–2009: a works team that nearly won a title

BMW Sauber

Kubica wins Montreal 2008; 2nd in the 2007 championship.

BMW invested heavily, adding a second site at Munich. Robert Kubica won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix and led the drivers' championship at that point; the team finished third in the constructors' standings in both 2007 and 2008.

BMW then chose to divert 2009 development to the following season, went backwards, and abruptly withdrew from Formula One at the end of the year.

2010–2018: back in Peter Sauber's hands

Sauber F1 Team

Independent again; Perez and Kobayashi podiums in 2012.

Peter Sauber bought the team back to keep it on the grid. Sergio Pérez and Kobayashi produced surprise podiums in 2012, but funding was chronically tight and the 2016 season nearly ended the team.

Longbow Finance bought Sauber in 2016 and stabilised it; Frédéric Vasseur arrived in 2017 and rebuilt the technical department.

2019–2023: a badge, not an owner

Alfa Romeo Racing

Title-sponsor rebrand; Raikkonen's final seasons.

Alfa Romeo's title sponsorship came with the team name from 2019, though Sauber Motorsport continued to own and operate the entry. Kimi Räikkönen returned for three final seasons and Valtteri Bottas followed in 2022.

Stellantis ended the arrangement after 2023 as Audi's takeover of the team was confirmed.

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber

Official 2024 entrant name under Stake title sponsorship.

Kick Sauber F1 Team

Kick Sauber F1 Team

Stake dropped from the entrant name for the final year before Audi.

2026 onwards: Audi's works entry

Audi F1 Team

Full works entry with Audi power units built at Neuburg.

Audi acquired full ownership of Sauber Motorsport and enters Formula One as a works constructor with the 2026 regulations, building its own power unit at Neuburg an der Donau while Hinwil builds the chassis.

It is the fifth name change for a lineage that has never moved factory.