Turmoil at Sauber/Audi
Let’s start the day by delving into some unpleasant territory. Things at Sauber are far from rosy at the moment. The team remains the only one without a single point this year, facing tough times ahead of Audi’s entry in 2026.
The magazine Auto Action reports on internal tensions between Sauber’s CEO Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann, the General Representative for the Formula 1 project, with both reportedly trying to get rid of each other.
It is understood that Hoffmann prefers to appoint Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack as the new team boss and take on the role of Sauber’s CEO himself. Simultaneously, Seidl is said to be exerting pressure to have Hoffmann fired by Audi.
Hoffmann is reportedly not in the best standing with the Audi executives and is already under pressure. Turbulent times are ahead in Hinwil and Ingolstadt!
The Unofficial Sprint Championship
Who would win if the Sprint had its own standings? I believe no one would be surprised if I say: Max Verstappen. The Dutchman has won all three Sprints this year so far. But who would currently be in second place? Any guesses?
What Do Sprints Bring?
Yesterday, Formula 1 announced the six Sprint races for 2025. Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali was quoted saying: “The Sprint is a great success for Formula 1, providing more action and races on the track for all fans. We see proof in our viewership numbers, fan engagement on Fridays, and support from promoters and partners.”
But is this really the case? Formula 1 provides some numbers to justify why Sprints add value.
“In 2024, live viewership for the Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix increased by 40 percent in the 15 key markets compared to the average practice sessions of the first two races,” it was reported.
However, it’s unclear why only the first two races were used for comparison.
Furthermore: “The live broadcast of the Sprint in Miami reached 946,000 viewers on ESPN, the highest rating in the USA for a Sprint since the format was introduced in 2021, and in Austria, live viewership for Sprint Qualifying this year increased by 76 percent compared to the FT2 sessions of the last two European races.”
“This follows a successful 2023 season, where new Sprint venues boosted overall viewership, with Azerbaijan and Belgium being the most successful weekends with increases of 15 percent and 22 percent, respectively.”