Sauber Motorsport
Updated: Wikipedia source
Sauber Motorsport AG, formerly competing in Formula One as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and also known simply as Kick Sauber or Sauber, was a Swiss motorsport engineering company and race team. Founded by Peter Sauber as PP Sauber AG in 1970, the team produced sports cars for hillclimbing and endurance racing until 1993. In the World Sportscar Championship, the team's factory affiliation with Mercedes-Benz yielded two world championships and overall victory at the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans. After Group C racing regulations were outlawed, Sauber joined Formula One in 1993 with engine support from Mercedes. After a brief stint as the Ford factory team in 1995 and 1996, the team operated as an independent constructor until being purchased by BMW in 2005. As BMW Sauber from 2006 to 2009, the team achieved its best results in Formula 1. Robert Kubica achieved the team's only F1 win at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, and the team finished second in that year's World Constructors Championship. However, the team struggled to adapt to 2009's regulation changes and BMW announced its withdrawal mid-season due to the global financial crisis. After heavy speculation, BMW sold the team back to founder Peter Sauber for one euro. As an independent constructor from 2010 to 2025, the team used Ferrari engines. After being acquired by Finn Rausing in 2016, the team cancelled a deal to become the Honda works team and drew closer to Ferrari. From 2018 onwards the team entered a title sponsorship agreement with Alfa Romeo, competing as Alfa Romeo Racing and later as Alfa Romeo F1 Team until 2023. In the penultimate season of its Alfa Romeo sponsorship deal, Sauber announced that 75% of the team would be bought by Audi to become the Audi factory team in Formula One in 2026. This plan was revised in 2024 when Audi bought 100% of the team, who then sold a minority stake to the Qatar Investment Authority. From 2026 onwards, all sporting and chassis operations will continue to be based in Hinwil, Switzerland. Engine manufacturing for the team will take place in Neuburg, Germany, with a satellite technology facility in Bicester, United Kingdom. In January 2025, Audi reported that it had completed the purchase of the team's parent company, Sauber Holding, for €600 million.