McLaren and Audi bid farewell to senior staff in latest F1 shake-up

McLaren and Audi will each bid farewell to long-standing senior employees at the end of September.

There are more changes across some of the communications teams at several F1 teams, with senior staff members at McLaren and Audi leaving their posts at the end of this month.

McLaren to bid farewell to Sophie Ogg

After almost four years in charge of McLaren’s F1 communications team, Sophie Ogg will step away from her position as Communications Director at the end of September, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix being her last race in papaya.

Ogg has been with McLaren since February 2022, joining the squad from Williams, where she served as head of communications between 2010 and ’22.

The reason for Ogg’s departure has been attributed to personal life changes and a long commute from her home to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.

While wishing her well, McLaren confirmed that the process of finding a replacement will now begin. Ogg’s departure comes seven months after the departure of chief communications officer Steve Atkins, who left at the end of February, citing personal reasons.

It’s a similar story at Audi, where effective head of communication Guido Stalmann will also vacate his role at the end of September.

Stalmann, whose official title is Audi’s director of partnerships, communication, and business affairs, has been with the German manufacturer since December 2021 and played a vital part in overseeing the communications strategy through its start-up phase and integration into Sauber.

Aside from Audi, Stalmann oversaw BMW’s communications as an engine supplier to Williams at the turn of the millennium, as well as the marque’s arrival into F1 with Sauber in 2006.

It’s been a tumultuous year for F1’s communications teams, with Ogg and Stalmann the latest names to depart senior roles.

In July, Red Bull’s head of communications, Paul Smith, was fired from his post, alongside the company’s decision to relieve Christian Horner of his operational duties as CEO and team principal.

Smith has yet to be formally replaced, although Red Bull has brought back former communications chief Eric Silbermann to oversee and advise senior communications managers Alice Hedworth and Anna Webster.

Former Red Bull communications manager Julianna Jackson has also recently switched to Williams, effective as of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

Meanwhile, this week, former Aston Martin chief communications officer Adrian Atkinson, who departed his role at the conclusion of 2024, has announced he has taken up a new post overseeing the communications strategy of General Motors’ motorsports programme.

“I am thrilled to announce that I have joined General Motors, in a new role, as Executive Director, Global Motorsports Communications,” he said of his new role.

“The opportunity to work for such a storied company with more than 115 years of innovation, incredible brands including Cadillac and Chevrolet, and world-class vehicles is truly inspiring and a huge privilege.

“I had the pleasure to meet President Mark Reuss, and he shared GM’s exciting plans for the Cadillac F1 project with TWG Motorsports.

“I look forward to leading motorsport communications for all of GM’s racing activities, including Formula 1, IMSA – International Motor Sports Association, FIA World Endurance Championship, INDYCAR, and NASCAR.”

With stability across the senior positions at the rest of the teams, the longest serving communications chief is currently Fabiana Valenti of Racing Bulls.

The Italian has been with the Faenza-based squad since its Minardi iteration in 2000, and has moved into a predominantly factory-based role in recent months.

Valenti has a decade’s head start on Mercedes’ Bradley Lord, who has been with the German marque since February 2011 – Lord has since become the team’s chief communications officer and team representative under Toto Wolff.

Just a few months behind him in longevity is Will Hings of Aston Martin, head of media and communications, who joined the then-Force India squad in April 2011, working alongside chief communications officer Luke Skipper, Atkinson’s replacement at the Silverstone-based squad.

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