After the unveiling of the Williams livery, Sauber began a new era as Stake F1 Team. The C44 represents an air of novelty and innovation for the team. Still, it is the beginning of a transition period, as explained by Team Principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi. The team’s North Star will be their transition into Audi for 2026.
“This year, we will see our team change in many areas. Thanks to this important partnership with Stake, which is one of the leading entertainment and lifestyle brands in the world.
“There are also changes in other areas. We are developing our team structure and strengthening our staff. And this means that work is happening in all areas in Hinwil.”
Team Principal of Team Stake, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, specified that change does not guarantee instant performance:
“Being at the beginning of this new era does not mean we will immediately obtain better performances. We have worked hard under the direction of our new Technical Director, James Key, to develop our project and our car in all areas, making more extreme decisions and trying to improve every single detail.”
There are encouraging signs for the new season, although this should not create unrealistic goals.
“We have to see what other teams did over the winter. We know we have improved, and we will soon see if this improvement will be enough to compete for better positions.”
Alessandro Alunni Bravi then specified how what opens today is a transition period towards the definitive transformation into Audi in 2026.
This is why it is important to draw a solid line with a view to the future.
“These two years will see our team undergo a major transformation process towards 2026, when we will become the official Audi team. Our attention, however, is focused on the here and now: we know that it is important to lay the foundations of our team every day.”
Although this is his second season in the team as the Managing Director, during the presentation, he still defined himself as a rookie regarding his experience:
“I still consider myself a rookie! Every year is a new opportunity to learn and improve.
“This is an ongoing process that everyone in Formula 1 has to do – our sport is really challenging, and you can never stop learning.”
Born in the province of Perugia in 1974, Alessandro Alunni Bravi showed good skills at the helm of the team last year despite the technical situation not being the most encouraging.
A common thread in the name of calm and concentration, which has created cohesion within the team which, as he himself explained, can count on a solid structure:
“I learned to manage the relationship with the media, with the various stakeholders. Our strong leadership, with our Group CEO Andreas Seidl, is helping us to create solid foundations and put in place a very efficient structure on the right track.”
The Team Principal then clarified the team’s organizational chart, on which the foundations for the team’s growth rest.
Starting from the new technical director, appointed in the figure of James Key. Beat Zehnder is now sporting director, while Xevi Pujolar has been promoted to the role of Racing Director.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi: “The stability of the Bottas-Zhou pairing is very important for us”
Good students then explained how a well-defined structure does not allow the tracing of specific targets from a numerical point of view. The objectives are clear and rely on improving the entire team.
“We must improve the performance of our car and our package. By package, I mean every area – from the race team to track operations, to pit stops, to strategy.
“It’s much more than just the performance of the car. We are committed in all departments to taking this step; that’s the goal.
“Then we’ll see where our position is as the season progresses. Last year, we finished ninth in the constructors’ championship.
“Obviously, the minimum objective must be to improve this position.
“The season will be very long; it’s not just about being competitive at the start. It’s about developing the car from January to December .”
On the driver front, he underlined the importance of the stability provided by Bottas and Zhou.
“Valtteri and Zhou are both in their third year with the team. This stability was very important to us. We always appreciate stability within the team, especially during this transformation process.
Valtteri is a very experienced guy. We all know that his contribution, both off and on the track, is extremely valuable to the team; we saw it last year.
“Especially in the last part of the season, when he was really competitive in qualifying.
“We just need to be able to translate qualifying performance into good race pace.
“Last year, we had some ups and downs from this point of view. Valtteri is really good at managing his race. But he is also really capable of getting the most out of the car. We have to give him the tools to do that.”
Alunni Bravi, therefore, places a lot of trust in Bottas’ long experience in F1, which will have to assist with the desired growth path.
An important piece is also designated in the role of Guanyu Zhou, who is preparing to face his third year in the World Championship Circus.
“Zhou was a surprise to many but not to us. He is really talented and is constantly improving his performance.
“In the last two seasons, we have seen the growth of him. His technical knowledge has really grown…”
Words of esteem from the Team Principal, who expects a further leap in quality from the Chinese driver, to complete a lineup that must be ideal for a team that sees constant improvement as the fulcrum of project 2024.
Author: Loris Preziosa
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
