Audi to build new F1 campus near Sauber’s Hinwil base
Audi is developing a new Formula 1 campus less than one kilometre from Sauber’s long-standing headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland, as it invests in the infrastructure for its works team. The existing site will be repurposed as a manufacturing centre and windtunnel operation.
The German manufacturer fully rebranded Sauber under the Audi name this year, following a gradual takeover ahead of the works team’s F1 debut. Hinwil has remained the team’s operational base and the place where its first Audi F1 car was designed and built. The first Audi engine, meanwhile, was developed at a new facility in Neuburg, Germany.
A new campus, with Hinwil still central
Audi recognised early in its preparations that Sauber’s infrastructure required significant investment. Rather than replace the Hinwil operation, the new campus will sit close by, while the current facility takes on a defined role in manufacturing and windtunnel work.
Some parts of the campus were already operational this summer, but its full development is not expected to be complete until 2030. The staged opening means Audi is developing its new base while retaining the existing site as part of the team’s wider operation.
The project forms part of the foundations Audi is putting in place for its long-term F1 ambitions. CEO Mattia Binotto said the campus would help the team attract and retain talent, and provide an environment where specialists can collaborate and perform at their best. His comments come amid a broader focus on building the Audi project, reflected in Binotto’s calls for clean execution at the team.
Bicester centre to remain
Audi also plans to retain its satellite technical centre in Bicester, UK. The facility was established to help attract personnel who would not move to Switzerland full-time, giving the team another base as it develops its workforce.
Binotto described the new campus as important to creating the conditions for that recruitment and collaboration. “The best engineers, designers, mechanics and specialists want to work in an environment that allows them to collaborate, innovate and perform at their highest level,” he said. “The campus will help us create exactly that environment.”
The Hinwil campus is therefore not a standalone relocation: Audi intends to pair the new development with the existing Swiss facility and its UK technical centre, while the broader build-out continues towards completion in 2030.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.