Former Audi F1 team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi is set for a “surprise” next move with a switch to a rival Formula 1 outfit reportedly imminent.

Alunni Bravi had effectively served as team principal of the existing Sauber team across 2023/24 following Fred Vasseur’s move to Ferrari at the end of 2022.

Former Audi F1 chief set for swift return?

Audi F1, who as revealed by PlanetF1.com completed their full takeover of Sauber earlier this month ahead of the German manufacturer’s highly anticipated F1 2026 entry, announced last week that Alunni Bravi had left the team ahead of a “new adventure.”

The news came after multiple reports claimed that Audi F1 had struck a deal with Red Bull for an early release of new team principal Jonathan Wheatley.

Audi F1 confirmed the appointment of Wheatley as team principal last summer, with the former Red Bull sporting director originally expected to join the Swiss team by mid-2025 at the latest.

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However, a deal has reportedly been reached for Wheatley to take up his new position at the start of April, hastening Audi F1’s succession plan.

A report by Italian publication Auto Racer has claimed that Alunni Bravi is poised for a swift return to F1, having agreed a deal to join an unnamed UK-based team.

An announcement could arrive as soon as this week.

In his new role, Alunni Bravi is expected to concentrate “mostly” on non-F1 matters, as well as acting as deputy to the team’s managing director.

Seven of F1’s 10 teams – McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alpine, Haas and Williams – have headquarters based in the United Kingdom.

The reports comes after Alunni Bravi was linked with involvement in new Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s bid to buy a MotoGP team.

La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that Alunni Bravi has been “helping” Hamilton in talks to purchase a team, with KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer revealing last month that “concrete talks” have been held with the seven-time F1 World Champion.

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F1 owner Liberty Media announced last year that it has agreed a deal to purchase MotoGP, the premier category of motorcycle racing.

However, the deal remains subject to approval by the European Union, which opened a detailed investigation into the takeover over “serious competition concerns.”

A verdict is expected to be reached by May at the latest.

Sauber will field an all-new driver lineup of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto for the F1 2025 season, having dropped Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

Hulkenberg is gearing up for his third full season since his return to F1 with Haas in 2023, with newly crowned F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto set for for his debut campaign.

With both drivers tied to multi-year contracts, Hulkenberg and Bortoleto are almost certain to remain in place for the team’s first season as Audi F1 in F1 2026.

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