Here is the news: Formula 1 stalwart Beat Zehnder is set to leave Audi's Formula 1 squad at the end of the 2026 season following a 34-year stint at Hinwil, as Autosport reports. That is not just a job change; that is the closing of a massive chapter in the paddock's history.
Zehnder's journey began way back in 1988 when Peter Sauber hired him as a mechanic for the team's sportscar programme. When the Swiss outfit jumped to Formula 1 at the start of the 1993 season, Zehnder made the leap right alongside them, quickly cementing himself as an indispensable pillar of the operation.
Beat has been a mentor to hundreds of team members and drivers who have passed through Hinwil over the years,
By the following year, he was team manager—a hands-on role where he served as sporting director through 601 consecutive grands prix. He witnessed every single high and low of the squad's existence, enduring its various spells as an independent outfit and its era as a BMW works squad. That BMW period even brought Hinwil its sole grand prix victory courtesy of Roberto Kubica at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.
After 33 years, Zehnder stepped away from his frontline duties last year while Sauber geared up its transformation into the Audi works operation. Most recently, the 60-year-old led the team's heritage activities as Director Signature Programs & Operations, managing tasks like preparing Audi's new hospitality suite while occasionally making appearances at races.
Now, a restructuring of operations ahead of the 2027 season means his time with the organisation is officially coming to a close at the end of December 2026. In a statement released on Friday, the Audi Revolut F1 Team paid tribute to a man who amassed 36 World Sportscar Championship races alongside his staggering F1 record.
"Beat has been a mentor to hundreds of team members and drivers who have passed through Hinwil over the years," the team stated, praising his relentless competitive streak and unwavering professionalism. "We thank him for 39 years of outstanding service and wish him all the best for the future."
