F1 News: Audi Shuts Down Mattia Binotto's Claims Of Secret Visit And Job Rejection
Audi F1 has swiftly dismissed recent claims that Mattia Binotto, former team principal of Ferrari, visited their Neuburg headquarters and rejected a potential role within the team. Reports had suggested that Binotto engaged in discussions at Audi's Competence Center Motorsport in Germany but ultimately declined the offer. However, it has been revealed that Binotto never set foot in Audi F1's HQ.
In a statement provided exclusively to PlanetF1.com, an Audi F1 spokesperson clarified the situation, stating:
“We can confirm that Mattia Binotto never visited the sports Competence Centre in Neuburg where our project is located.”
Currently serving gardening leave after resigning as Ferrari team principal at the end of the 2022 season, Binotto is a highly sought-after figure in the motorsport industry. Binotto's exit from the Maranello-based squad came as a shock to some as he had been with the team since 1995. Binotto started out in the engine department before working his way up the ranks to team principal and chief technical officer.
While he has been linked to various potential moves, including Formula 1, Red Bull Powertrains, and Audi, it remains unclear whether he was being considered for a role in Audi's Formula 1 project, which is under the leadership of Adam Baker, CEO of Audi Formula Racing GmbH.
Baker commented:
“Regarding recruitment, what we need to recognise is the Formula 1 project for Audi Sport here in Neuburg, it’s an important transformation project.
“This means we benefited from taking around 200 highly qualified staff over from within Audi Sport into Formula 1. So this is obviously a huge boost for our ramp-up phase.
“Here in the region, we also have access to literally 1,000s of tech experts who are involved in the automotive industry here working for Audi or for suppliers.
“But to ensure we will be competitive in 2026, we want to accelerate our learning phase as much as possible and part of that strategy is an aggressive recruitment programme. So far, we’ve contracted around 50 technical experts to join us here, including from some of our competitors.”
As Audi F1 continues to progress toward their anticipated entry into Formula 1, the team remains focused on an aggressive recruitment program to ensure competitiveness in 2026.
While rumours may swirl, the denial of Mattia Binotto's alleged visit underscores Audi F1's commitment to transparency and clarifies their ongoing efforts to assemble a skilled and formidable team for their forthcoming Formula 1 venture.