Beat Zehnder to leave Audi F1 team after 2026 season
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 30, 2026
Zehnder to leave
Audi will part ways with Zehnder at the end of the 2026 season. The company said the move is part of a restructuring ahead of the next season, and it has not named a successor. Audi also thanked Zehnder for 39 years of service. His career spanned Sauber’s time as an independent team and its BMW works era. He is ending a 34-year stint at Hinwil. The announcement marks a change in the structure around the program, and Zehnder’s departure will close his long association with the team.
Sauber roots run deep
Zehnder’s path began in 1988, when Peter Sauber hired him as a mechanic. He moved with the Sauber team into Formula 1 in 1993 and became team manager in 1994. His career then spanned Sauber’s time as an independent team and its BMW works era. He rose from mechanic to manager and remained with the organization as it moved through different identities.
Hinwil legacy grows
Most recently, Zehnder oversaw the team’s heritage activities as director of Signature Programs & Operations. He had also stepped back from day-to-day race duties and worked on Audi’s new hospitality suite. Audi described him as a mentor to hundreds of team members and drivers at Hinwil. Zehnder has logged 601 consecutive Grands Prix. He will now leave the team, and Audi has not named a successor.
