Audi, who plans to hold 75% of stakes in Sauber before entering F1, plans to win their maiden title by the end of this decade.
For a while, Audi was planning to enter into F1 as new manufacturers, considering F1 is about to come with new engine regulations in 2026. In the end, the last reports mentioned that Audi would take majority shares of Sauber.
Though, nothing is officially declared. On Monday, Audi announced that they would announce their F1 partners, most probably Sauber, before the end of this year.
Audi plans to buy 75% stakes in the Sauber F1 team in the next three years by splashing around $450 million. Instead of just being a manufacturer, they will own a side, and Sauber, which has a rich car-making experience, makes it a perfect choice.
On the other hand, even Sauber is excited about this deal, as they have willingly let go of their relations with Ferrari. So, maybe by the time new regulations step in, Sauber might become a side to fear.
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Audi wants to win before 2029
The German car company said at their press conference that they have started working on the 2026 engine. Further, they aim to win their first F1 title within three years of entering the sport.
“We would love to be competitive from the first moment, but we have to be realistic. We want to be in a position to be competitive to win races from the third year on,” said Adam Baker, project manager at Audi.
The new kid on the block. Audi intends to actively drive the transformation of what is by far the world’s most important motorsports series.#AudiLindsaySaker #LindsaySaker #lindsaysakeraudi #AudiSA #Audi #F1 pic.twitter.com/ZeDQnIC7QV
— Lindsay Saker Audi (@LS_Audi) October 9, 2022
It’s not an unrealistic demand, as Audi will bring in a huge investment and would easily match the budget cap. Moreover, they would wish to be at par with their market rivals, Mercedes and Ferrari. Thus, they are investing so much money only to win.
Relying on the gamechanger
In F1, any major regulation is expected to bring a new era of dominance for a new side. Last time, when new engine regulations came in, Mercedes came ahead with the best side and won F1 titles for eight straight years.
With the new aero regulations, Red Bull looks like the best-settled side and is at the cusp of winning this year’s constructors title after already winning the drivers’ title with Max Verstappen.
So, Audi aspiring to win a title before the end of this decade is not a far-fetched vision. They have the most time to develop their engine and least consumed resources, with ample literature to gain an edge over others.
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