Sauber appoints former Ferrari engineer as sporting director

Sauber has announced that former Ferrari chief strategist Inaki Rueda will join the Hinwil-based operation as sporting director, taking over the role from Beat Zehnder.

Sauber has announced a trio of key leadership changes as part of the team’s ongoing transformation, as the organisation continues on its path of growth ahead of Audi’s entry into the sport in 2026.

Giampaolo Dall’Ara will take on the newly created role of Head of Race Engineering, overseeing the department’s operations both at Hinwil and at the racetrack. The team noted that the “appointment is part of a move to optimise alignment on all car performance-related topics and to ensure a joint operations approach to topics concerning the car’s performance, and as part of which the company integrated the Race Engineering department into the Technical Group.”

Dall’Ara, an alumnus of the Politecnico di Milano, has an extensive motorsport background, including key roles within the Alfa Romeo DTM team and Sauber Motorsport, where he worked as Head of Test Engineering and Head of Track Engineering. Since 2016, he has been running his own consultancy firm.

In addition, Sauber has also confirmed that former Ferrari chief strategist Ignacio “Iñaki” Rueda will join the team as Sporting Director, taking over the role from Beat Zehnder.

Rueda brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously held senior positions at Jordan Grand Prix, Renault, Lotus F1 Team, and most recently, Scuderia Ferrari, where he was promoted to Sporting Director in 2021. In his new position, Rueda will be responsible for overseeing all sporting activities, managing the relationship with FIA and all regulations matters trackside.

Rueda’s appointment also means that Beat Zehnder, who has been Sauber’s sporting director for long years will take on another role, becoming the Director of Signature Programs and Operations, starting in 2025. Having been part of the Sauber family since the 1980s, Zehnder has played a pivotal role in both the team’s development and in representing it with the FIA.

In this new role, Zehnder will “ensure the rich heritage of Sauber Motorsport continues to grow, uphold its core values and lead efforts to innovate and shape its future. Throughout 2025, he will fulfill a supervising function to assure the best possible transition as the team grows into its new structures,” Sauber noted.