Having taken a majority stake in the Sauber team from its previous owner, Finn Rausing, it upped that to complete ownership in a deal last year.

That transaction is now complete, leaving the German automaker with full control of the F1 team which will be rebranded Audi next season.

In conjunction with that, the squad has made changes within its senior management, with ‘team representative’ Alessandro Alunni Bravi departing the organisation.

Bravi joined the organisation in 2017 and held allegiances to Rausing.

“It is an emotional time as my journey with Sauber reaches its end,” Bravi said.

“Since I joined in 2017, I have seen this team grow and change beyond what anyone could have imagined.

“This organisation went through exciting and difficult times alike, all without ever losing its spirit and its commitment, which is something I find inspiring, and I was proud of being able to represent the team as its public face in the last two years.

“As I move on to a new project, I want to thank Finn Rausing, all those who put so much trust and faith in me at Sauber and Audi, and all the colleagues I have been working with for the last eight years.”

Appointed team representative (the equivalent of team principal) by Andreas Seidl in January 2023, Bravi’s position was always regarded as temporary ahead of Audi’s official arrival on the grid next season.

That was reinforced by the signing of Jonathan Wheatley last year.

Long-term sporting director for Red Bull, Wheatley has left that post and it’s understood he’ll begin work as team principal at Sauber on April 1, in time for the third round of the 2025 F1 season – the Japanese Grand Prix.

While it has not been announced who will cover the team principal role in the interim, it’s likely Mattia Binotto will step in.

The ex-Ferrari boss joined Sauber midway through 2024 in place of Seidl with the Italian formally holding chief operating officer and chief technical officer titles.

“Having worked closely with him in the months since my arrival to Hinwil, I want to pay tribute to Alessandro, a true team player who came to embody the essence of Sauber throughout the years,” he said of Bravi’s departure.

“Alessandro played a wide range of roles within the team, steering it through difficult and exciting times alike.

“As he moves onto a new venture, the whole company would like to thank him for all his energy and contributions over the years and wish him the best for the future.”

Sauber heads into the 2025 season with an all-new driver pairing with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.

The pair are on multi-year contracts and will be Audi’s foundation driver line-up next season.