F1 News
This is why Audi could have a higher cost cap than other teams in 2026
Audi will be provided with a bigger Formula 1 cost cap due to increased salary levels in its new base. Audi, who announced they would be joining Formula 1 in 2022, has acquired the Sauber team, based in Hinwil, Switzerland. They are expected to pay salaries which are 35-45% higher than in the UK for example, meaning that they are set to have a higher budget cap.
Audi's Formula 1 works team mission begins in 2026 at the start of the new regulations. After years of planning, the team is finally coming together. Nico Hulkenberg will be part of Audi's new 2026 era, as will ex-Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto and ex-Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.
Despite their increased budget, the FIA is certain that there will be no unfairness and that all teams will be working on a level playing field. Furthermore, the budget cap will be raised numbers-wise from 135 million dollars to 215 million dollars in 2026, but the level remains the same given it follows inflation and minor changes to what counts towards the limit.
The other nine Formula 1 teams, who have bases in the United Kingdom and Italy, rejected the FIA's budget cap offset introduction, but they have no power at the moment about the matter. The decision expected to be made at the next FIA council meeting at the end of the year.
Sauber spending more than top teams:
According to BBC Sport, the actual cost of the cup number that Audi will operate with is yet to be announced. Interestingly, Sauber, which will become Audi, pays its staff an average yearly salary of £125,000. On the other hand, the top three teams, Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari, pay their staff members an average of £90,000 per year. Salaries make up a large portion (around 35-40%) of a team's budget, meaning Sauber is operating with significantly less than those around them.
A reshuffle is much needed at the Swiss base. Sauber has been a ghost this season and has yet to score a single point. The Swiss team has struggled not just on a performance scale but also on an operational level. Despite improving recently, their pitstops have been much slower than every other team on the grid due to a problem with their wheel nuts and wheel hubs. Audi's investment will most likely turn the tide, but how competitive the German marque will be remains to be seen.
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