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Everybody anticipated Volkswagen’s two-pronged invasion of System 1 — Porsche by the use of Purple Bull, and Audi by way of Sauber — to be cleared and publicly introduced by now. Ratification of the 2026 energy unit rules was supposed to be the final hurdle standing in Porsche’s way. These guidelines have been accredited on August 16 and but right here we’re, every week later, with no noise on that entrance. We’ve identified even much less about what’s happening with Audi, although a brand new report could make clear the place Ingolstadt’s grand prix debut stands.
The upcoming Belgian Grand Prix this weekend might set the stage for an announcement, per Motorsport.com. After all, we’ve heard such issues so many occasions earlier than, so maybe it’s greatest to not put all of your religion right into a joint press launch from Audi and Sauber come Friday. But when it does occur, hey — no less than you have been ready.
The German luxurious automaker is reportedly paying the Swiss motorsport agency extra for a smaller stake in comparison with Michael Andretti’s failed bid, so you possibly can think about why Sauber could be extra captivated with its chosen suitor. No disrespect to Andretti, however as influential a determine as he’s, he doesn’t fairly end proper behind Toyota within the energy rankings of individuals and firms.
Beneath the supposed settlement, chassis will proceed to be inbuilt Switzerland, whereas Audi will assume engine growth in Germany. The 2 events will solely proceed to work collectively extra carefully over a number of years, and there’s already suggestion of Sauber being subsumed ultimately as an Audi manufacturing facility operation. Decelerate, you two! From Motorsport.com:
There’s additionally the promise to additional develop Sauber as a manufacturing facility group, similar to how the Sauber-BMW partnership labored between 2006 and 2009.
It’s attention-grabbing to notice that present Audi CEO Markus Duesmann, who has pushed the model’s F1 entry, was head of growth on the BMW-Sauber group between 2007 and 2009 and nonetheless is aware of the Hinwil operation from again then.
Motorsport.com understands that the plan contains persevering with to construct the chassis in Hinwil, the place certainly one of F1’s most fashionable wind tunnels continues to be situated.
The powertrain is to be created at Audi’s website in Neuburg and thus developed and produced on German soil.
That is in contrast to VW Group sister firm Porsche, which is able to develop massive components of its engine at Purple Bull’s Milton Keynes powertrains division.
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And but, those reports of Audi and/or BMW snapping up McLaren from last year still linger. Audi’s supply for McLaren’s street automotive enterprise didn’t fulfill the British automaker, however Audi stored pursuing a partnership on the F1 aspect of issues till it couldn’t anymore:
Audi had initially negotiated with McLaren a few takeover of group shares, having been initially put in contact with the group and its homeowners by means of former McLaren F1 racer Gerhard Berger.
“I established the contact with McLaren,” stated the DTM boss. “McLaren would have been a candidate as a accomplice for Audi in System 1.”
However the talks between McLaren’s homeowners, the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat, and Audi finally got here to nothing. Ultimately, Sauber emerged as the popular candidate following an analysis of Aston Martin and Williams.
That deal, too, was within the bag; I was convinced of it. At the moment we’re listening to related rumblings about Audi and Sauber. It’s good to know the place the temperature stands on these things each few weeks, however let’s all conform to consider it once we see it.
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