A day after the Canadian Grand Pri, the Kick Sauber outfit have announced that former Red Bull and McLaren engineer Stefano Sordo will join the Hinwil-based team, taking on the role of Performance Director.
The Italian engineer has joined in a newly created role as Performance Director, and will report directly to Technical Director James Key. His main duty will be to understand the finer details of performance necessary to move Kick Sauber further up the running order.
Sordo worked at the pinnacle of racing for over two decades in roles ranging from Race Engineer to Head of Aerodynamics Performance in various teams, before graduating to the role of Director of Vehicle Performance at McLaren.
During his time at Red Bull Racing, he contributed to the string of successive world championship triumphs between 2010 and 2013, before adding a win to his tally during his stint at McLaren. His latest appointment was as Technical Director for RLL Racing, competing in IndyCar and IMSA in the United States.
Expanding on his new role, Sordo commented: “I am delighted to join Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and take on a role that will have a direct impact on unlocking the performance we already have within our company, and help it reach new heights.
“The team is at a crucial juncture in its history, with the start of the Audi adventure just around the corner, and I am looking forward to tackling the challenge that lies ahead.
“I am excited about what the future holds: the targets the team has set for itself are ambitious, but I see a lot of confidence from everyone within this organisation,” concluded the Italian engineer.
📣 We’re excited to welcome Stefano Sordo to the team, in the position of Performance Director.
Sordo will bring a wealth of F1 performance-based experience and report directly to our Technical Director, James Key.
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) June 10, 2024
Andreas Seidl, CEO of the Sauber Group, believes Sordo will provide the perspective and expertise needed for both an immediate upturn in form and to prepare for Audi’s takeover in 2026.
He added: “The appointment of Stefano is an important step in the development of the structure of our technical department. Stefano knows what a winning squad needs, brings a wealth of experience to the team and, with the different array of roles he played in the past, he is perfectly placed to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of our technical operations, and address what is required.
“We have a strong technical team in Hinwil, and Stefano’s appointment will help us to harness these skills and turn them into performance as we continue in this crucial time for our outfit, with the Audi F1 works team being readied for its debut.”
