EXCLUSIVE: ‘It’s about never being satisfied’ – Binotto on instilling the ‘Audi mindset’ and how long it will take his new team to win

After spending 18 months away from the sport that had consumed his life for the past three decades, Mattia Binotto made a working return to Formula 1 at Monza last weekend as the new project lead for Sauber, which will become Audi’s works team for the 2026 campaign.

His progress through the paddock was slow, with old friends, colleagues and rivals keen to shake his hand and catch up. It shows how well respected the Italian, 54, is – and how much he has been missed since leaving Ferrari, the team he spent 28 years with, at the end of 2022. For Binotto, being back in a colour other than red is taking some getting used to.