Audi enters F1 only to win

Audi joining the F1 series is a significant victory for the Formula Ones. PDO

F1 caught a big wave. It’s about time. This prey was hunted for a couple of decades.

Audi’s entry into the F1 ranks is a huge win for the Formula Ones. And if everything goes right, also for Valtteri Bottas.

Audi is used to success. The incentives in the motorsport world are fine.

Group B’s Quattro is still for many the rally car of all time. at Le Mans four ring dominated for a long time. The victory of the 2000–2014 endurance classic was missed only twice.

Formula success Audi previously acquired an electric series in Formula E. That’s when it started to boil over, when the financial investment was not proportional to the media visibility and the needs of civilian cars.

In these matters, F1 and Formula E are from different planets. F1, which is currently drastically increasing its already large audience, offers a visible stage, and Audi was able to add exactly the rule changes it wanted to the power sources of the future.

The parent company Volkswagen’s diesel scandal has not been forgotten. Racing with 100% renewable fuel from the 2026 season is an important green concession not only for the entire F1 series, but also for the VAG Group.

Audi does not start with a completely clean slate. The German brand has announced its intention to team up with one of the current F1 teams.

Something shocking must happen in the formula pit if Sauber is not selected as a partner.

The Swiss team has been operating under the Alfa Romeo name for the last few years. Fittingly, just a couple of hours after Audi’s F1 announcement, the Italian brand announced that it would withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of the 2023 season.

One plus one is?

However, Audi will not join until 2026. What will happen to Sauber between these two periods?

Probably nothing more dramatic than that.

Audi has promised to announce its F1 project team by the end of this year. So Sauber should have the Audi deal in their back pocket when Alfa Romeo withdraws.

Audi takes care of its investment. It pumps money and know-how to the Swiss camp. It does not help at all for Sauber to fall from the ride of other teams during the two interim seasons.

The Audi pattern suits Valtteri Bottas well.

Although it is still years before the German brand joins, the Finn could benefit from the cooperation even during his current contract.

Alfa Romeo’s resources are limited. Despite the budget ceilings of the formulas and the rules to equalize the crowd the chips of the Italians are not enough to lift Sauber up from the middle class. With Audi’s muscles, it is possible, even probable.

Audi joining the F1 series is a wonderful thing, but in the midst of all the hilarity, it’s worth remembering the ever-present threats.

For car manufacturers, F1 is just business. Car brands have come and gone throughout the history of the series. The last mass exodus a little over ten years ago was briefly in danger of bringing down the entire sport.

If somewhere this is remembered, it is in Hinwil.

When BMW decided to withdraw from F1 races after the 2009 season, the decision came as a complete surprise to both the F1 world and Sauber.

The global economic situation more than ten years ago forced the managers of large car factories to cut costs. Expensive F1 projects were the first to go.

Of course, today’s F1 operates on a completely different business model. Even if you find a shack, you can’t use it to your heart’s content. It reduces the need to make huge financial investments in F1 to succeed.

But everyone wants to succeed. The harsh truth is that only one car brand can win at a time. Losing is bad shit.

And when a couple of bad financial quarters hit, a company board that cares little about formulas can make quick conclusions.

It’s worth remembering, but don’t belittle the big news. Audi joining the F1 series is great news in every way.