Sauber hires former Red Bull, McLaren engineer to bolster F1 technical team

The Hinwil-based outfit has added a number of high-profile hirings over the past 18 months as it gears up to become the Audi works team in 2026, including the additions of former McLaren duo Andreas Seidl as CEO and James Key as technical director.

After a difficult start to the new F1 season, Sauber has bolstered its thinktank with the arrival of Sordo in a role that will see the Italian answer directly to Key, and follows on from rival teams in creating multiple-pronged management structures.

"The appointment of Stefano is an important step in the development of the structure of our technical department," said Seidl.

"Stefano knows what a winning squad needs, brings a wealth of experience to the team and, with the different array of roles he played in the past, he is perfectly placed to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of our technical operations, and address what is required.

"We have a strong technical team in Hinwil, and Stefano’s appointment will help us to harness these skills and turn them into performance as we continue in this crucial time for our outfit, with the Audi F1 works team being readied for its debut."

Sordo has over two decades of experience in motorsport, having worked in roles ranging from race engineer to head of aerodynamics, performance. He was part of Red Bull's championship-winning effort between 2010 and 2013 and also enjoyed a stint as director of vehicle performance at McLaren.

Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber C44

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

His most recent assignment was as technical director for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing outfit, which competes in IndyCar and IMSA.

"I am delighted to join and take on a role that will have a direct impact on unlocking the performance we already have within our company, and help it reach new heights," said Sordo.

"The team is at a crucial juncture in its history, with the start of the Audi adventure just around the corner, and I am looking forward to tackling the challenge that lies ahead.

"I am excited about what the future holds: the targets the team has set for itself are ambitious, but I see a lot of confidence from everyone within this organisation."

Key added: “As our technical departments continue to grow towards our new organisation and future ambitions, I am delighted to welcome Stefano to the team as performance director.

"Stefano is a key addition to our team, one which will shape our understanding and priorities for the new cars’ performance direction and in-season development, working closely with myself, as well as our vehicle performance, aerodynamics and track engineering groups.

"Stefano brings a wealth of experience to the team, combined with his focused and hard-pushing approach, and is a strong and influential team player throughout. I welcome Stefano to the team and look forward to working with him towards our goals.”