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Beat Zehnder to leave Audi at end of 2026 after nearly four decades at Sauber

Conceptual AI-generated editorial motorsport illustration; not a documentary photograph or evidence that a pictured event, meeting or transfer occurred. · 2026-10-31GPBeat newsroom · News Made Clear generated illustration

Audi says Zehnder will leave at the end of 2026 following a restructuring ahead of 2027. His association with Sauber began in 1988.

GPBeat · Newsroom31 Oct 2026, 06:37 · 1 min

Beat Zehnder will leave Audi at the end of 2026, ending nearly four decades with the Hinwil team. Audi announced his departure on Friday ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, saying it would follow a restructuring of its operations ahead of the 2027 season.

Zehnder, 60, joined Sauber Motorsport in 1988, five years before the operation entered Formula 1. He was there when the team opened its F1 operation in 1993, became Team Manager the following year and joined the management committee in 2018.

When Audi made Sauber its works team, Zehnder moved into a factory-based role leading Audi’s heritage activities as Director of Signature Programs and Operations. Audi said he had been a mentor to hundreds of team members and drivers who passed through Hinwil, and thanked him for 39 years of service. He worked on 601 consecutive Grands Prix for the team.

Sources 01
  1. PRIMARY SOURCESauber veteran Zehnder to leave Audi at end of 2026Formula 1

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