Audi is reportedly considering a full takeover of the Swiss Formula One team Sauber before officially joining F1 in 2026. The German car brand already owns a minority stake in Sauber, acquired in January 2023, and had previously intended to increase it to 70 percent.
The anticipation of Audi’s entry into F1 has been met with excitement by many fans. When news first emerged in 2022 about Audi’s plans to enter the sport, it was generally well-received. At that time, Markus Duesmann was the CEO of Audi, but he has since been replaced by Gernot Dollner. With a new CEO in place, there might be changes in the company’s plans for F1 as well.
According to a Bloomberg report citing sources, Audi is considering acquiring full control of Sauber, an F1 team currently owned by investment firm Longbow Finance. In the current season, Sauber has returned as Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen, and its two main drivers are former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and China’s Zhou Guanyu.
With the global popularity of F1 racing on the rise, car brands and investors are eager to gain a share of the pie. However, there’s also a fair amount of secrecy surrounding the intricate details.
Dollner recently told German publication Handelsblatt, “There is a clear decision from the board of management and the supervisory boards of Audi and Volkswagen that Audi will enter Formula 1 in 2026. The plan is in place,” when pressed for more information about Audi’s F1 entry.
Dollner did, however, express some criticism towards the former leadership. “We used to have a very complex landscape of committees. That is why we have now abolished an entire level of committees below the executive board. In short, we are now faster and all-important decisions are once again made by the entire executive board team.”
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