Smedley declares Audi's F1 power unit facility 'second to none' despite Sauber struggles

Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley has given a glowing assessment of Audi’s Formula 1 power unit headquarters in Germany, describing the facility as “second to none” despite the team’s modest results so far in the 2026 season. Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast alongside host Jake Humphrey and former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer, Smedley offered a candid review of the grid’s progress through the first half of the campaign.

Smedley was blunt about the state of the Sauber operation before Audi’s full takeover, saying the team had been “pretty desperate these last two or three years” and “just awful”. When Szafnauer noted that Audi’s financial backing was already in place during that difficult period, Smedley acknowledged the team’s long-standing wind tunnel capability before turning his attention to the newer engine infrastructure.

“If you look at their facility in Germany, the engine facility, the power unit facility, that is second to none, and they’re still building and still going on it,” Smedley said. “This is a huge project for them.”

He was more measured about the team’s base in Hinwil, Switzerland, noting it “leaves maybe a little bit to be desired” as an F1 facility, though he added that expansion plans are in place and the project carries significant strategic importance for the manufacturer.

Audi retained the 2025 Sauber driver pairing of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto for the 2026 season. After 12 rounds, the team sits eighth in the constructors’ championship with 16 points. Bortoleto is 14th in the drivers’ standings on 10 points, with Hülkenberg 15th on six.

The season continues with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza from 4–6 September.