Audi is aligning its Formula 1 project even more consistently with the synergies and working methods of a factory team… in others words yet another management restructuring.
As Head of Audi F1 Project, Mattia Binotto will be responsible for development activities at the Hinwil and Neuburg an der Donau facilities, as well as at the future technical centre in England.
As a result, Audi is bringing its operational units within the project under unified management and is pushing ahead with even greater integration. With just under ten months to go before the debut, the close coordination of development activities is aimed at achieving seamless coordination between race car and powertrain. Under the overall leadership of Binotto, existing structures will be optimized and development speed further increased through higher efficiency.
Christian Foyer has joined the management board of Audi Formula Racing GmbH (AFR), which is responsible for the F1 hybrid powertrain. He will focus on operational processes in the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Born in Aachen in 1977, the graduate engineer specializing in combustion engines has been working in operations and project management for various F1 teams and manufacturers for around 18 years. Foyer will take over operational responsibility for the areas previously managed by CEO Adam Baker, who is leaving the project by mutual agreement.
“We would like to thank Adam Baker for his commitment over the past years. He played a decisive role in shaping the overall strategic concept for the entry of Audi into Formula 1 and got the development of the power unit in Neuburg off the ground,” said Gernot Dollner, Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG. “With Christian Foyer, we are now bringing a proven expert in process structures in F1 powertrain development into the project. His experience will help ensure the synergistic cooperation and necessary speed on the journey we have embarked upon regarding the debut.”
To streamline reporting lines, the previous CEO role will be eliminated as part of the reorganization. Stefan Dreyer will continue to head power unit development in Neuburg as CTO and will take on the new role of spokesperson for the AFR management board.
Since the beginning of April, Jonathan Wheatley is Team Principal and Management Board Spokesperson at Sauber Motorsport AG. In close collaboration with Mattia Binotto, Wheatley is accompanying and shaping the transformation of the racing team. His focus is on managing the race operations of the future Audi F1 Team and representing Audi at the team principal level in Formula 1’s strategic forums.
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