F1 team chief concedes defeat ahead of 2026 season with brutally honest verdict

Mattia Binotto has written off chances of being competitive in 2026 even after sweeping regulation changes are introduced. Formula One is introducing new engine rules next season to increase the use of electrical energy at Grand Prix weekends.

Cars will be made more nimble to make races more exciting for spectators and television viewers. Sauber's new engine will be developed by Audi but Binotto is not expecting fireworks in the first season under the new regulations. A former engine engineer, the Italian believes it could take time before his team begins to find success in F1.

"Making power units, I know this well because I was an engine engineer, is much more complex and complicated than one might imagine watching races as a spectator," Binotto, who is the head of Audi's F1 project, told .

"Now, however, we are entering something extremely advanced that has never been done.

"Therefore, we will find a higher level of difficulty, even though the starting point is always an engine. We will have to change the culture of the engine and it will not be easy.

"We're focused on ourselves. We know that 2026 will not be the year in which we'll be at the top. We won't have the best power unit, but the path that has been taken is the right one, I'm confident."

It is the first major engine regulation change since 2014, when the V6 hybrid power units were introduced. They are still used today.

Former Ferrari chief Binotto continued: "In 2014 when a more important hybrid was introduced on the power unit, it was an engine championship at the beginning. Because Mercedes had made the difference. It's a situation that could happen again and those who have to recover will try to do so."

Sauber came rock bottom of last year's Constructors' Championship with only four points. They remain last in this year's leaderboard but a new driver line-up has impressed onlookers.

The experienced Nico Hulkenberg has collected all six of their points. Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, 20, is still finding his feet in F1.

Both drivers were outside the points at last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. They were each lapped twice by race winner Lando Norris. 2026 engine supplier Audi may have a big job on their hands attempting to elevate Sauber up the Constructors' Championship standings.