Audi-Sauber opens a base in the UK
Audi-Sauber can be shifting to England by opening a brand new base to recruit high-profile engineers and shut the hole with different F1 groups as shortly as potential. This resolution, made by challenge supervisor Mattia Binotto, was additionally taken to handle an financial concern, not only a logistical one. For a lot of British engineers, relocating to Hinwil (a small city about 30 km from Zurich) is usually a family-related problem. Moreover, Sauber spends extra on employees salaries than different F1 groups primarily based within the UK and Italy as a result of Switzerland’s excessive value of dwelling. For that reason, Audi had requested a funds cap exemption from the FIA beginning in 2026, however to date with out success.
Ferrari, the one F1 group with no UK base
Opening a technical middle in England, particularly within the so-called Midlands Motor Valley (the realm between Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire within the south-central a part of the nation), might partially compensate for this financial and logistical drawback by attracting higher-profile engineers and technicians. Nevertheless, Sauber’s transfer can be vital for an additional purpose: till now, it was the one group, alongside Ferrari, with no UK base. With Mattia Binotto’s resolution, the Maranello group stays the only F1 group with no manufacturing facility or operational middle within the English Motor Valley. However the place precisely are the F1 groups headquartered? Let’s discover out.
McLaren
Headquarters: Woking, United Kingdom
The reigning Constructors’ Champion, McLaren, doesn’t develop an engine however is a Mercedes buyer group. All chassis and aerodynamic elements not outsourced to third-party suppliers are produced on the historic Woking headquarters, a city of about 60,000 residents in Surrey.
Ferrari
Headquarters: Maranello, Italy
There’s no want to say that Ferrari, the historic Italian automotive model and producer, relies in Italy. The primary manufacturing facility is, after all, within the legendary Maranello, a city of fewer than 20,000 folks in Modena province, globally well-known as the house of the Prancing Horse. Right here, all Ferrari automobiles are constructed, together with F1 single-seaters and racing automobiles for different motorsport competitions. Nevertheless, this hasn’t at all times been the case: between 1987 and 1991, Ferrari outsourced some F1 design actions to Guildford, England, on the request of then-technical director John Barnard, who was reluctant to relocate to Emilia. The middle was shut down after some failed tasks and Barnard’s subsequent departure from Ferrari.
Purple Bull
Headquarters: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Purple Bull, the reigning Drivers’ Champion with Max Verstappen aiming to equal Michael Schumacher’s report of 5 consecutive F1 titles in 2025, relies in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The manufacturing facility was inherited from groups that raced in F1 earlier than Purple Bull entered the game: it was utilized by Stewart from 1996 to 1999 after which by Jaguar from 2000 to 2004. The ability is at present increasing, because the group, with Ford’s help, is creating its personal hybrid turbo energy models beneath the Purple Bull Powertrains division, set to debut in 2026.
Mercedes
Headquarters: Brackley, United Kingdom | Engine Facility: Brixworth, United Kingdom
Not like the opposite groups talked about to date, Mercedes has a twin operational base, each positioned in England and only a few kilometers aside. The automobiles are designed and developed on the Brackley manufacturing facility, whereas the ability models that dominated the turbo-hybrid period from 2014 to 2021 are produced in Brixworth.
Aston Martin
Headquarters: Silverstone, United Kingdom
Just some meters from the Silverstone circuit’s entrance lies the Aston Martin Racing manufacturing facility, not too long ago renovated and considerably expanded. Not like Ferrari in Italy, nonetheless, the whole Know-how Campus is at present devoted solely to the F1 group, whereas the manufacturing of Aston Martin highway automobiles stays primarily based in close by Gaydon.
Alpine
Headquarters: Enstone, United Kingdom | Engine Facility: Viry-Châtillon, France
Regardless of its French origins, Alpine— which took over from Renault in F1 in 2021— is headquartered within the UK. The group’s foremost manufacturing facility is in Enstone, beforehand utilized by Toleman, Benetton, Lotus, and Renault. In the meantime, the V6 turbo-hybrid energy unit is produced in France on the Viry-Châtillon facility. Nevertheless, from 2026, the Renault group will not provide F1 engines, because the group, beneath Flavio Briatore’s steering, has secured a buyer take care of Mercedes.
Haas
Headquarters: Kannapolis, United States | Manufacturing facility: Banbury, United Kingdom, and Varano de’ Melegari, Italy
Haas is the smallest and most cosmopolitan group in F1. Based by Gene Haas, it’s an American group with its headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Nevertheless, managing every day operations from such a distance is impractical, so the F1 automobiles are designed in Banbury, UK, with some elements manufactured on the Dallara manufacturing facility in Varano de’ Melegari, Italy. Lately, Haas has additionally maintained workplace house inside Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters.
Racing Bulls
Headquarters: Faenza, Italy | Secondary Base: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Regardless of a number of identify modifications, Racing Bulls (previously Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri, and RB) stays the group closest to Ferrari by way of operational base. The “B group” of Purple Bull has traditionally been headquartered in Faenza, Ravenna province, on the former Minardi headquarters, which it took over in 2006. Nevertheless, sturdy synergies exist with Purple Bull and its Milton Keynes manufacturing facility, the place some elements are produced.
Williams
Headquarters: Grove, United Kingdom
The legendary group based by Frank Williams and Patrick Head, which received 9 Constructors’ and seven Drivers’ titles in F1, stays UK-based regardless of being owned by the American funding agency Dorilton Capital. The manufacturing facility is positioned in Grove, Oxfordshire.
Sauber
Headquarters: Hinwil, Switzerland | Secondary Base: Midlands space, United Kingdom (from 2025) | Engine Facility: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
Till now, Sauber was the one F1 group in addition to Ferrari with no UK operational base. This can change with Binotto and Audi’s resolution to open a facility by mid-2025 within the Bicester-Silverstone-Milton Keynes space whereas sustaining its foremost headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland. In actuality, Sauber can have three websites, as its energy unit will probably be developed at Audi Sport’s Neuburg an der Donau facility in Germany.
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