Mattia Binotto’s arrival casts doubt on £25.7m Audi sponsorship deal with global brand

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Mattia Binotto has an awful lot on his plate at Audi ahead of their Formula 1 debut at the beginning of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The current Sauber team are yet to score a point with just 10 race weekends to go this year and it would be a surprise if the Dutch Grand Prix was the scene of their first top-ten finish of the campaign.

However, things are starting to move in the right direction and Mattia Binotto isn’t the only senior figure they’ve recently employed.

Jonathan Wheatley will be joining as Audi’s new team principal from Red Bull next year and has a big job on his hands to guide the team in the right direction and live up to the German manufacturer’s expectations.

A report from F1 Insider has shared more information about the work being done by the commercial side of the team.

Formula 1 has become more and more lucrative in recent years, with teams set to raise the bar needed to buy into the sport via the Concorde Agreement.

It means sponsorship deals are vitally important with McLaren CEO Zak Brown an expert at agreeing commercial partnerships.

Audi’s reputation across various motorsport series will help them in negotiations as they have a track record of success.

However, Binotto’s arrival at Audi may have scuppered an agreement they were set to sign with sporting giants Adidas.

The Italian has previously worked with Puma during his time with Ferrari and they have sensed an opportunity to work with Formula 1’s newest team.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Sauber and Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto

Mattia Binotto’s arrival at Audi may have impacted lucrative Adidas sponsorship deal

The report from F1 Insider suggests that one of the many focuses within the team right now is the clothing brand they’ll use going forward.

It’s believed that Adidas had already won the race to work with Audi by offering them a £25.7m deal to have their iconic three stripes appear on their garments.

However, Binotto has close ties with Puma and has a positive relationship with Adidas’s very local rivals.

Both sportswear companies are based in the German town of Herzogenaurach, 90 minutes south of Audi’s main facility in Neuberg.

Puma are now working hard to scupper the previous agreement between Adidas and Audi but right now Adidas remain the favourite to get a deal across the line.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber from team principal to Audi future

Audi could reject race-winning driver as part of 2025 driver line-up

While sponsorship deals are important to the future of the Audi F1 team, next year’s driver pairing is a much more pressing issue.

Nico Hulkenberg was confirmed as Sauber’s first driver for 2025 months ago, abandoning a surprisingly strong Haas car to race for a German works team when Audi make their F1 debut.

However, the identity of his next teammate is yet to be revealed.

Valtteri Bottas could earn a reprieve at Sauber after initially looking set to leave the team.

The future of Sergio Perez at Red Bull could also be of interest to Binotto and Wheatley.

He’s currently got a contract for next year at the current F1 champions but his performances have been below par for months.

It’s now been suggested that Audi may turn down the chance to sign Perez even if he’s dropped before the end of the season.

It suggests that the German manufacturer may already have their eye on another driver in the market.