Stefano Sordo, former performance director at McLaren, joins the ranks of the Stake team in this same role, as part of the development of its structure and the takeover of Audi in 2026.
The Italian technician has almost twenty years of experience in motorsport, where he held the positions of racing engineer and director of aerodynamics, among others. He went through Toro Rosso, then the Red Bull team, where he accompanied the four world titles of Sebastian Vettel from 2010 to 2013. Stefano Sordo then served for six years as performance director at McLaren, and since 2022 has held the position of technical director of the RLL Racing team in IndyCar and IMSA.
Appointed performance director at Stake/Sauber, he will work under the leadership of technical director James Key, as part of the development of the Swiss structure, which will come under the full control of Audi from 2026.
“I am excited to join Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and take on a role that will have a direct impact on leveraging the performance we already have within our company, and helping it reach new heights,” rejoices Stefano Sordo. “The team is at a crucial moment in its history, with the start of the Audi adventure on the horizon, and I look forward to the challenge that awaits us.”
“I’m excited about what the future holds: the goals the team has set are ambitious, but I see great confidence from everyone within this organization.”
Andreas Seidl, CEO of Stake F1 Team
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“The appointment of Stefano is an important step in the development of the structure of our technical department”said Sauber Group CEO Andreas Seidl. “Stefano knows what a winning team needs, he brings great experience to the team and, with the different roles he has played in the past, he is perfectly placed to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of our technical operations , and to meet the needs.”
“We have a strong technical team in Hinwil, and the appointment of Stefano will help us harness these skills and translate them into performance as we continue this crucial period for our team, with the Audi F1 works team preparing to make his debut.”
The Stake/Audi team has already announced the recruitment of Nico Hülkenberg, the first element of its driver duo for 2025 and 2026.
