Sauber appoint former Ferrari chief as sporting director in restructuring

Sauber announces restructuring

Former Ferrari strategist Ignacio Rueda joins the team as sporting director. Beat Zehnder, who has worked for the team for decades, is appointed Director of Signature Programs and Operations, and Giampaolo Dall'Ara joins the team as Head of Race Engineering.

"Rueda brings a wealth of experience to the role," reads a statement from Sauber on the recruitment of the former Ferrari chief. "In his new position, Rueda will be responsible for overseeing all sporting activities, managing the relationship with FIA and all regulations matters trackside."

New roles for Rueda, Zehnder and Dall'Ara

Zehnder himself has decided to shift his focus to other areas. "He has been part of the Sauber family since the 1980s and has played a crucial role in the development of the team and its representation at the FIA. His approach to his position was essential in shaping and developing the role of sporting director for this team and beyond."

"In this new role, Zehnder will ensure the rich heritage of Sauber Motorsport continues to grow, uphold its core values and lead efforts to innovate and shape its future. Throughout 2025, he will fulfill a supervising function to assure the best possible transition as the team grows into its new structures."

"Dall’Ara, an alumnus of the Politecnico di Milano, has an extensive motorsport background, including key roles within the Alfa Romeo DTM team and Sauber Motorsport, where he worked as Head of Test Engineering and Head of Track Engineering. Since 2016, he has been running his own consultancy firm. His wealth of experience positions him to drive race performance optimisation and collaboration with the Technical Group."

"These leadership changes infuse the team with renewed confidence as they strengthen the organisation as it prepares for future challenges and opportunities, with a bright future as a factory team ahead," Sauber said about the new appointments.

This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton