Last Updated on November 7 2024, 1:16 pm

A nigh on ten year project instigated by the FIA to increase the number of manufacturers in Formula One lies in smoking ruins. Porsche and Audi were early early contributors to the FIA working party looking to make the sport more attractive to new OEM’s.

Reading behind the lines of Christian Horner’s comments when the talks broke down with Porsche, the German manufacturer had wanted to buy a 50% stake in the Red Bull Racing group of companies. The Red Bull boss talked of his team needing to retain the ability to make quick decisions, in a likely contrast to the corporate style of the disparate boards amongst the VAG group.

With Porsche out of the running, Audi continued with their intra-company rivalry and set about buying up the Sauber group of companies.

 

 

 

Audi keep their F1 cards close

Little is really known about the progress Audi have made on their first V6 hybrid turbo powertrain project, with the occasional corporate style updates revealing little about their progress. The German auto brand were forced to complete the sale of the team in an accelerated time frame earlier this season, as cash strapped Sauber were out of funds.

Having lost out on their pursuit of Carlos Sainz, Audi looked certain to continue to recruit an experienced driver alongside Nico Hulkenberg, but winds of change have been in the air since the arrival of rookie Franco Colapinto at the Williams team.

Sauber-Audi announced this week thy would be bringing in the leader of the F2 championship, Gabriel Bortoleto. They delayed the announcement last weekend in Brazil because they feared a “media frenzy” surrounding the young Brazilian.

This dashed Mick Schumacher’s last hopes of returning to the F1 grid as Audi had confirmed they were in talks with the German driver. Given the passion of the Audi project to represent Germany this felt like a key moment with Schumacher being passed over for a rookie whose F1 capabilities are largely unknown.

Truth behind Hamilton early Merc exit message

 

 

 

Schumacher last hope

Mick’s uncle Ralf Schumacher had offered some “crazy” hope for his nephew on Wednesday, citing the instance of Logan Sargeant being removed mid-season as an example of how Mick’s opportunity may come in 2025. Now Ralf accepts Binotto’s decision was justified leaving Nico Hulkenberg the only German driver on the grid.

With no German Grand Prix since 2019, Audi were hoping to raise the profile of F1 in their home land once again, but breaking news of the team’s imminent sale appears to mean there will be no German based racing team in Formula One going forward.

Speaking to F1-insider, veteran F1 writer Ralf Bach is reporting Audi have in fact sold a majority stake in the Sauber team to Qatari investors. The deal will be announced in two weeks time at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Back laments the decision by the German based auto manufacturer saying its iconic four ring logo will in effect be merely a ‘badge.’ “What we also didn’t tell you is that Audi will no longer be a German team in the future because, from what I’ve heard, they have Qatari backers. The majority of the Audi team sold, more or less announced in Qatar,” says Bach.

F1 steward goes public with Max criticism

 

 

 

Audi in name only

“That means we won’t just have any more in the drivers in the future other than Nico Hulkenberg. We will have Audi, [where] the four rings are just make-up. The majority of the team will belong to people from Qatar.”

The VAG Group who own Audi and Porsche is suffering from recession in Germany and a fall in orders for new electric cars. They recently announced the closure of three factories in Germany with the loss of thousands of jobs.

Global financial winds have affected the fortunes of Formula One in by gone times, as did the financial crash in 2007-8. Global manufacturers Toyota and Honda decided that owning a Formula One team was a luxury they could no longer afford.

With Audi drawing its horns in as choppy seas lie ahead for the German car manufacturing business, they had little choice other than to find new investment to keep the F1 project alive. Its unclear at present whether Audi will continue developing a V6 Hybrid powertrain, or like Renault they drop the entire project and buy in one from somewhere else.

Why Binotto ditched Schumacher

 

 

 

Mercedes AMG F1 – almost not German

Whilst Mercedes AMG F1 are a German owned racing team, they are based in Brackley in England along with their high performance powertrains HQ nearby in Brixworth.  Having had two British drivers for three years, the team is embraced by Brits alike as their own whereas Audi were looking to be as German as possible. 

As to German driver Mick Schumacher, Toto Wolff has been pressing Binotto to take him on for months. The Mercedes boss snatched up Mick when he was released by the Haas F1 team and he’s been credited with many a late night in the simulator on Friday’s and been praised for the setup changes he’s delivered for Hamilton and Russell for the sessions on Saturday.

When asked about Mick Schumacher’s realistic chances of a Sauber-Audi driver, Binotto said: “Yeah. We had several talks, he was certainly a strong candidate. I know him very well from the past and I know his strengths and maybe his weaknesses as well, but certainly, I think he would have been a good choice.

Horner announces Red Bull’s decision over Perez

 

 

 

Binotto takes aim at Wolff

“I think there have been many candidates and Mick would have been certainly a good choice as well. Now sometimes you need to come to a decision. I think there is no reason why or blames for me, the reason simply goes we decided for Gabriel and that’s it,” said the ex-Ferrari boss.

Having recruited a rookie having started the search looking for experience, Binotto was asked whether Gabriel was a more high risk signing than the experienced Schumacher.

“And I think that maybe we should ask the same of Toto: ‘Why Kimi and not Mick?’ I think at some time you need to come to a decision and you make to make a decision. So today, we made the decision to employ and to hire Gabriel and we are happy.”

Hamilton has his say on Bottas future

 

 

 

F1 drivers association SLAMS FIA president

The Formula One drivers’ association (GPDA) was founded in May 1961 and following an election lion amongst the members, Stirling Moss became its inaugural chairman. 

Throughout the years a number of the sport’s grandees have served as directors including the current Mercedes driver George Russell together with a host of world champions including Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Damon Hill and there great Michael Schumacher.

The aim of the organisation was simple at the time as it petitioned the FIA for improved safety standards for both drivers and spectators in an era where death was an annual occurrence. While the association is not particularly militant in its unionised approach there have been some notable occasions where they have brought about change in F1… READ MORE