Sauber has appointed Andreas Seidl as its new CEO from January 2023, with Andrea Stella taking over as McLaren’s Formula 1 team principal.
Seidl joins the Sauber Group after four seasons as McLaren team boss, playing a major role in forging the Woking-based team’s recent resurgence that saw it end a nine-year victory drought in 2021.
Sauber, who has raced under the Alfa Romeo name since 2019, announced Fred Vasseur’s departure on Tuesday morning after his move to Ferrari was officially confirmed.
This left Vasseur’s role needing to be filled and the team identified Seidl as the ideal successor to lead it into its take over by Audi from 2026.
The appointment sees Seidl reunited with the Volkswagen Group after his stint at Porsche in WEC and returns to Sauber where he worked as head of trackside operations during its partnership with BMW between 2006 and 2009.
“It is great to join the Sauber Group from January: this is a team with a rich history in Formula One and an organisation I know really well from my time working and living in Hinwil for four years,” said Seidl.
“I can’t wait to join the team and work with all the colleagues at the Sauber Group on the ambitious goals we have set together. I want to thank Finn Rausing and everyone at the Sauber Group for their choice: I am looking forward to repaying their trust with my work.”
Sauber revealed Seidl’s first task as CEO will be to identify its new team principal, which it revealed would be communicated in due course.
McLaren wasted no time in announcing Seidl’s replacement, with executive director Andrea Stella being promoted with immediate effect.
Stella joined McLaren in 2015 after over a decade at Ferrari, working with the likes of Michael Schumacher as a performance engineer and as race engineer to both Kimi Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso.
Following a period as head of race operations and performance director, Stella became McLaren’s executive director in 2019 and now takes on the role as team boss for the first time in his career.
“I’m delighted that Andrea Stella will step into the Team Principal role and lead our F1 technical and operational programme,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown.
“Andrea is a highly talented, experienced and respected member of our team with a strong track record of leadership and success in Formula 1.
“His move into this role is a great example of the strength in depth we have in our team, and I’m excited to be working more closely with him with a joint focus on moving up the grid and winning races.”
Stella added: “I feel privileged to take on the Team Principal role as the next stage of being part of the McLaren F1 Team.
“I am grateful to Zak and the Shareholders for their trust in me and to all my colleagues and those who have supported me throughout my F1 career.
“We are realistic about the amount of work ahead of us to move back up the grid, but I am excited and encouraged that I am in this journey together with a team full of talent, experience, racing spirit and dedication.
“I look forward to working closely with each of them, Lando and Oscar, to together achieving great success and enjoying the journey.”
