Volkswagen is one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. Therefore, it is only fitting that it joins the sport of Formula 1. However, for the longest time, this seemed like a distant reality. But, last year, Audi announced that they would be taking over Sauber from 2026 onwards. They even showed their seriousness by roping in Andreas Seidl for the project from McLaren. So why the rumours?
French Sources Start the Rumour
Radio Le Mans is a very well-known radio channel based out of France. Recently, it cited sources that stated Audi and Volkswagen are pulling the plug on their Formula 1 ambitions. They reasoned that Audi wasn’t happy with the progress of its program.
A Firm Squash
An Audi spokesperson firmly squashed these rumours surrounding its Formula 1 ambitions. They said, “Audi‘s F1 entry in 2026 is based on a decision of the Board of AUDI AG in alignment with the Supervisory Board of AUDI AG. As well as the Board and the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Group.”
“The schedule of Audi Formula Racing GmbH for the build-up of the organisation and the development of the 2026 F1 Power Unit at the site in Neuburg/Germany remains unchanged.”
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Big Commitment
Audi has already made a huge commitment to Formula 1 and its program with Sauber. They have stopped racing in many other categories to make room for their Formula 1 program. They will stop their customer racing programs and sponsorships.
This comes swiftly after Audi’s exit from LMDh and IMSA. Audi has also left Formula E for Formula 1 and had earlier left DTM. They have also gone through the pain of poaching Andreas Seidl from McLaren to lead their project.
This weekend, Audi held a Family Event at the Neuberg facility. They showcased their Formula 1 project there in the presence of Oliver Hoffmann, their CTO and Board Member.
An Update in August
Sauber had provided an update to Audi’s Formula 1 program as recently as August. They said, “The programme is on the right route. We are working hard to develop the team in these next two seasons.”
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“We know that there are constraints linked also to the financial regulations but we are, with Andreas Seidl, addressing all our weaknesses and try to seek all the best opportunities in the market to bring quality into our team and to develop our facilities.”
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