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- Sauber Group
Sauber Group Acquisition, Valuation, Funding & Investors
Sauber Group was acquired by Audi for $620M in January 2025, a 2.6x multiple on $240M of revenue.
Sauber Group acquisition price
$620M
Acquired by Audi · Jan 2025
Sauber Group revenue at acquisition
$240M
Last twelve months · Jan 2025
Sauber Group revenue multiple at acquisition
2.6x
EV/Revenue · Jan 2025
Key investors in Sauber Group
Qatar Investment Authority
Audi
Sauber Group Overview
About Sauber Group
Sauber Group is the Swiss motorsport engineering company behind the Sauber Formula One team, based in Hinwil in the canton of Zurich. Peter Sauber founded it as PP Sauber AG on 15 May 1970, building his first sports car in his parents' garage; its Sauber C9 won two world endurance championships and, with Mercedes-Benz, the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team entered Formula One in 1993 as a private constructor, known for introducing drivers such as Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa, and in 2004 invested in a wind tunnel and supercomputer at Hinwil. BMW bought it in 2005 and ran it as BMW Sauber until 2009, winning the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, before Peter Sauber reacquired it for one euro and raced on with customer Ferrari engines. He sold control to Swedish investor Finn Rausing in 2016, and the team raced under Alfa Romeo title sponsorship until 2023 and as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in 2024 and 2025. Audi took a minority stake in January 2023 and confirmed a full takeover on 8 March 2024, with the Qatar Investment Authority later holding 30%; the Hinwil operation, with a technology centre in Bicester, UK, is now the chassis and race base of Audi's factory F1 team from 2026.
Founded
1970
HQ
Website
Status
Acquired
Customer focus
B2B
Revenue model
Services
Revenue
$210M (Nov 2024)
Valuation
$650M (Jan 2023)
Sectors
Sauber Group Acquisition
Sauber Group was acquired by Audi for $620M on 17 January 2025.
The acquisition price implies a 2.6x revenue multiple on $240M of revenue.
Audi completed its acquisition of 100% of Sauber Holding AG, the parent of the Sauber Formula One team, in January 2025, making the Swiss team the basis of the Audi factory entry from 2026. Audi had announced on 8 March 2024 that it would take over the whole Sauber Group rather than the 75% it originally planned, after agreement with majority shareholder Islero Investments, which is linked to Tetra Pak heir Finn Rausing. The price was not disclosed but was reported to be about EUR 600 million. Audi had first confirmed Sauber as its Formula One partner in October 2022 and bought a minority stake in January 2023. After the takeover, the Qatar Investment Authority agreed in November 2024 to buy a substantial minority stake in Sauber Holding as a long-term investor, with Audi keeping control. Sauber, based in Hinwil near Zurich, was founded by Peter Sauber in 1970 and entered Formula One in 1993. The team raced as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in 2024 and 2025 and became the Audi F1 Team in 2026, with Mattia Binotto leading the project.
| Acquirer | Date | Type | Price | EV/Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 2025 | Strategic M&A | $620M | 2.6x |
Sources: formula1.com, motorsportweek.com, en.wikipedia.org, forbes.com.au
Sauber Group Valuation
Sauber Group is currently valued at $650M, based on its secondary sale in January 2023. Read the announcement ↗
The round included Audi.
Sauber Group valuation by funding round
| Date | Stage | Valuation |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | Secondary | $650M |
Sauber Group Revenue
Sauber Group's latest recorded revenue is $210M, as of its strategic investment round in November 2024.
Sauber Group revenue by funding round
| Date | Revenue * | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2024 | $210M | Strategic investment |
* Revenue (or ARR) figures are the values recorded alongside each funding round. Typically run-rate revenue at the time of the deal, or a reported LTM (last 12 months) revenue.
Sauber Group Funding History
Sauber Group has raised 1 funding round, plus 1 secondary share sale.
| Date | Stage | Investors | Valuation | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2024 | Strategic investment | Qatar Investment Authority | - | The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) agreed to acquire a significant minority shareholding in Sauber Holding AG, the Swiss company that runs the Sauber Formula One team and oversees Audi's entry into Formula One, according to a joint statement issued on 29 November 2024. Audi said the investment would give it capital to build up the team and its infrastructure at its Formula One sites in Neuburg, Germany, and Hinwil, Switzerland, ahead of its debut as a works team in 2026, when new technical regulations increase the use of e-fuels and electrical power. The size of the stake and the price were not disclosed, and reports later put QIA's holding at about 30%, with Audi owning the remaining 70% after completing its purchase of the team. Qatar is one of the largest shareholders of Audi's parent Volkswagen AG, and the deal deepened those ties while Volkswagen was restructuring. The announcement coincided with the Qatar Grand Prix in Doha. QIA had previously invested in Monumental Sports & Entertainment in the United States, and its subsidiary Qatar Sports Investments owns Paris Saint-Germain. Sauber was founded by Peter Sauber in 1970, is based in Hinwil and has raced in Formula One since 1993, including as BMW Sauber from 2006 to 2009. It earns revenue from Formula One prize money, sponsorship and manufacturer funding. |
| Jan 2023 | Secondary | Audi | $650M | Audi announced in January 2023 that it had acquired a minority stake in the Sauber Group, the Swiss owner of the Sauber Formula One team, ahead of the team becoming Audi's factory entry from 2026. Audi had confirmed in October 2022 that Sauber would be its partner for the 2026 season, when the team would switch from Ferrari customer engines to Audi power units. The stake size and price were not disclosed, and control stayed with the Rausing-linked Islero Investments. Sauber, based in Hinwil near Zurich, had raced as Alfa Romeo from 2019 to 2023 and as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in 2024 and 2025. In March 2024 Audi decided to take over the whole group, completing the acquisition of 100% in January 2025. The Sauber team was founded by Peter Sauber in 1970, entered Formula One in 1993 and was owned by BMW from 2006 to 2009. Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto later became chief executive of the Audi project. |
Who has invested in Sauber Group?
2 investors have backed Sauber Group across its funding rounds, including Qatar Investment Authority and Audi.
Sauber Group Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all 2 Sauber Group investors. Start Free Trial | ||||
Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
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Start Free TrialSauber Group Competitors
Sauber Group competitors include listed companies like Ollamani and Juventus FC, and private ones like Suning Sports, Inter Miami CF, Unrivaled and LiveScore Group.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | - | - | $2.6B | - | ||
| Private | $56M | ($5M) | $600M | - | ||
| Private | $27M | - | $650M | - | ||
| Private | $133M | - | $665M | 5.0x | ||
| Publicly listed | $348M | $36M | $684M | 1.9x | ||
| Publicly listed | $586M | $121M | $738M | 2.1x |
Sauber Group Public Comps
Sauber Group is no longer listed, but its public comps include Ollamani, Juventus FC, Cannae Holdings, Borussia Dortmund, Parken Sport, ZO Future Group, Olympique Lyon, Fenerbahce SK, Colab Platforms and Celtic Glasgow.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $348M | $36M | 2.3x | 1.9x | 22.3x | 11.2x | |||
| $586M | $121M | 1.9x | 2.1x | 9.1x | 9.9x | |||
| $424M | ($162M) | 2.0x | 2.2x | (5.3x) | (16.8x) | |||
| $516M | $103M | 0.8x | 0.7x | 3.8x | 3.4x | |||
| $282M | $84M | 1.9x | - | 6.3x | - | |||
| $21M | ($12M) | 16.3x | - | (28.6x) | - | |||
| $161M | $20M | 5.2x | - | 42.2x | - | |||
| $171M | $17M | 1.9x | - | 19.3x | - | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Sauber Group competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
Common questions about Sauber Group
| When was Sauber Group founded? | Sauber Group was founded in 1970. |
| Where is Sauber Group headquartered? | Sauber Group is headquartered in Hinwil, Switzerland. |
| Is Sauber Group publicly listed? | No, Sauber Group was acquired by Audi in January 2025. |
| Who acquired Sauber Group? | Sauber Group was acquired by Audi in January 2025. |
| How much was Sauber Group acquired for? | Sauber Group was acquired for $620M in January 2025, a 2.6x revenue multiple. |
| What is Sauber Group's valuation? | Sauber Group was last valued at $650M in its secondary sale in January 2023. |
| What was Sauber Group's last funding round? | Sauber Group's last funding round was a strategic investment round in November 2024. |
| Who are Sauber Group's investors? | Sauber Group's investors include Qatar Investment Authority and Audi. |
| What is Sauber Group's revenue? | Sauber Group's latest recorded revenue is $210M (November 2024). |
| Which companies are comparable to Sauber Group? | Companies comparable to Sauber Group include Suning Sports, Inter Miami CF, Unrivaled, LiveScore Group, Ollamani and Juventus FC. |
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