Swiss motorsport engineering company Sauber Motorsport has appointed Florian Büngener as chief communication officer, effective September 1, 2024, as the team progresses toward becoming the Audi factory team in 2026. Büngener will lead the communications department for both Sauber and the Audi F1 project from the team’s base in Hinwil, Switzerland, as the organization prepares for this.
In his new role, Büngener will be responsible for overseeing all motorsport communication activities, including those related to Audi’s Power Unit development in Neuburg. Additionally, he will manage Sauber’s corporate and CSR messaging.
Büngener has previously held positions at ABT Sportsline and Fiat and Abarth. Before joining Sauber, he spent nearly eight years at Hyundai Motor Europe, where he most recently served as head of PR and communications.
Mattia Binotto, COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport and the Audi F1 factory team, said, “Bringing Florian onboard helps us put another important piece of the puzzle in place, as Sauber continues growing into the Audi factory team which will debut in 2026. His approach, experience and drive will be fundamental as we not only communicate our activities but, mainly, we tell our story and our values to the growing audience of Formula 1.”
Büngener added, “The Audi F1 project is one of the most exciting developments in motorsport, if not in the whole sport industry at this stage, and I am pleased and determined to help it as it enters a pivotal moment ahead of 2026. The team has already moved on the path toward progressive and customer-centric communication beyond the racetrack, and I’m focused on accelerating this process ahead of the debut of Audi’s factory entry.”
