Autosport understands that Seidl is set to end his four-season tenure as head of McLaren’s F1 operation and succeed Vasseur, who is set to become the new Ferrari team boss.
The move will see Seidl prepare for a future reunion with the Volkswagen Group via Audi, which will take over the Sauber team – which currently races as Alfa Romeo – in 2026.
Seidl previously led sister marque VW Porsche’s LMP1 program, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times before returning to F1 with McLaren.
McLaren declined to comment when contacted by Autosport.
Seidl’s exit will be the latest domino to fall among F1 team principals since Ferrari confirmed Mattia Binotto had stepped down from his role at the end of last month.
Sauber announced on Tuesday morning that Vasseur would leave the team in January to take on the role of Ferrari’s new F1 chief. On Monday, Williams announced that Jost Capito had resigned as F1 boss.
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren, Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal, Alfa Romeo Racing, Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1, during the team principals press conference
Photo by: FIA Pool
It would make Seidl the fourth team principal to leave his role in the 2022 season in the space of three weeks and end a successful stint with McLaren.
Seidl began working as a McLaren team principal in May 2019 after being appointed by CEO Zak Brown, and helped the team emerge from its struggles to finish third in the Constructors’ Championship in 2020.
In 2021, the team took their first victory in almost nine years at the Italian Grand Prix as Daniel Ricciardo led Lando Norris for a double at home.
Seidl is set to join Sauber as the team prepares for Audi’s arrival in 2026, having secured its best constructors’ finish for a decade this year with a sixth-place finish in the championship.
Sauber’s partnership with Alfa Romeo, under whose name it has raced since 2019, will end after the 2023 season before its association with Audi.
The German manufacturer will work with Sauber as a strategic partner, while taking a majority stake.
