The start of Audi’s F1 career feels as though its been coming for quite some time, yet the German car manufacturer will only formally commit to branding its entry accordingly as the new regulations come into force in 2026.

Following the near miss for Red Bull when their partnership with Renault as a power unit supplier collapsed and they briefly faced a future without an F1 power unit supplier, the FIA has been making desperate overtures for new Powertrains-Ford manufacturers to join the sport.

With Porsche failing to close a deal to join F1, Audi became the only genuine new contender coming into the sport as a works team. Red Bull of course along with Ford will be building a power train, so with Honda deciding to stay in the sport, there will be a net gain of one new power unit manufacturer in F1.

 

 

 

FIA wrong direction on power units

The problem is the complicated and heavy V6 turbo power units are not attractive to many organisations who could develop F1 power units along the lines of the internal combustion engine. This was something F1 chief Stefano Domenicali made a revealing comment on the FIA’s announcement of their new power train specifications. 

“My personal opinion is that it would be enough to run on climate-neutral fuel. But we had to take into account the wishes of the manufacturers. Developments have gone so fast that a decision today might be different from what it was two years ago. 

I am not an engineer, but I have to have a vision of what the sport will look like in the future. And I can imagine that with the next regulations, we can focus on sustainable fuel,” Domenicali said in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.

Well Porsche’s demands were met and yet they never turned up to sign on the dotted line and now F1 is stuck with behemoth power units until well into the next decade.

Latest move by FIA to solve track limits

 

 

 

Audi muddled along over Sauber takeover

Audi appear to have muddled along with their takeover of Sauber and concerns were raised at the turn of the year that Sauber were about to run out of cash. The German auto maker stepped in an acquired the final shares in the team and this together with the retention of Zhou Guangu and his huge Chinese backers kept the project solvent for another twelve months.

Sauber have been very poor this year and are the only team yet to score points. Mattia Binotto revealed last week that he agreed with the team’s technical director, James Key, who stated earlier this year the full integration between Audi and Sauber would only be realised in 2027.

Now with Renault bailing on F1 power unit production despite the French manufacturer building winning engines for 12 constructor titles and 13 drivers, shock waves have run through the paddock. It’s now more vital than ever that Audi ‘succeed’ although the recent upheaval in senior personnel and the sacking of Andrea Seidl will have had an unsettling effect on morale.

Audi now are seeking to settle the nerves of those who believe ‘if Renault is out – what chance does Audi have?’ Audi’s CEO Gernot Dollner feels it necessary to shore up the confidence in the F1 project and reiterate Renault’s decision to abandon their F1 production has no bearings on the German brands plans.

Son of former Ferrari driver signed by McLaren

 

 

 

Audi reaffirms its commitment despite Renault

“Audi has a long-term commitment to Formula 1,” Dollner says. “Earlier this year, the supervisory boards of AG and Audi took the decision to completely get control of the Sauber shares.

“And so we will be as of 1st January 2025 100 per cent in charge of Sauber.” This suggests that Kick Sauber’s efforts this season are largely of their own making at their Swiss base, but from next year Audi will be supervising all aspects of the car.

“In 2025 that will happen, and myself being now chairman of Sauber, of the board of directors of Sauber Motorsport, means that I also will personally involve myself into our Formula 1 project more intensively,” Dollner adds.

Audi’s CEO is quick to place his confidence in Mattio Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley, who was until recently Red Bull’s sporting director. “I’m really happy that we found a strong, strong management for our Formula 1 project, with Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley.”

Ex-Alpine boss SLAMS French team “a disaster”

 

 

 

Mick Schumacher rumours again

“With a strong dual leadership team, one taking care of the operations on corporate with a project with a car. And the other one handling our operations on the racetrack and being the spokesperson, we believe that we found a perfect solution for our future operations.”

Sauber/Audi are yet to confirm their driver lineup for next season, having recruited Nico Hulkenberg but no one alongside him as yet. Having lost out on the signature of Carlos Sainz, if Audi wish to continue seeking for a driver with experience, Valtteri Bottas looks made for the part.

However, reports have been doing the rounds that Mick Schumacher could yet be in the frame to partner Hulkenberg, delivering Audi an all German driver lineup. Red Bull’s Dr. Helmut Marko said it would be “incomprehensible” were Audi to go for Bottas over Schumacher.

“It would be a good comparison with Nico Hulkenberg,” Marko continues: “If the performance is not right, you can always replace him for 2026. 

“No Perez at Red Bull for 2025”, says Marko

 

 

 

Bottas backs down over contract demand

“If the situation is really that Valtteri Bottas gets the chance, then the whole thing is even more incomprehensible to me,” said the 81 year old Austrian. “I think the Formula 1 story is really over for Schumacher if he doesn’t get that Audi seat.”

Having lost out on Sainz, Bottas looked to be a shoe in for Audi but the contract negotiations have not been going well for the Finn. Swiss publication Blick reports that Bottas has “already been confirmed to be causing problems” for Sauber.

A “better contract with more money” is cited, something for now Sauber/Audi have refused to accept. Speaking about Sauber’s driver predicament at Sauber, F1 journalist Julianne Cerasoli writes: “With the information that we have, the Bottas contract is not signed, but it is written and is in the phase of going back to the lawyers.

“These Formula 1 contracts are quite complex, so, that’s one thing if something goes back now,” Cerasol adds. “There was also the thing where Bottas didn’t want to sign for just one year.

“He has now given up putting his foot down about it and from Sauber’s perspective, having Bottas for a year instead of Gabriel Bortoleto, it was really between the two, Franco Colapinto wasn’t talking to Sauber,” concluded Cerasoli.

Verstappen: Something big on the horizon

 

 

 

Exceptional safety car drought this year, Alonso explains

The first recorded outing of a safety car in Formula One took place at the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix. There a yellow Porsche 914 was called into action following various incidents in treacherous weather conditions.

However, the use of the safety car created a controversy when the results were not classified for several hours following the chequered flag. Because the safety car driver had placed his car in front of the wrong competitor causing a number in the field to be incorrectly one lap down.

Formula One next experimented with safety cars at the 1992 British and French Grand Prix and it was decided to bring them in full time for the 1993 season… READ MORE