What do you think of this? Audi has sold off ‘a significant’ minority stake in its Formula 1 team, amid ongoing speculation that its takeover of Sauber isn’t going all that smoothly.
Let’s recap: Back in 2022, Audi agreed to enter F1 as a full works team, and it has slowly been taking over Sauber (formerly badged up as Alfa Romeo) ever since.
All along, the plan has been for Audi to strategically join the grid when F1’s regulations are revamped in 2026—with everything from its own engine to Audi-branded washers (probably).
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However, noticeable levels of conflict have been bubbling away in the background, and in July, it fired manager Andreas Seidl as the project lead and removed Oliver Hoffman as Sauber chairman of the board.
Ex-Ferrari CEO Mattia Binotto is now leading Audi’s F1 charge with Gernot Döllner installed as the head. The team has also recruited Jonathan Wheatley from Red Bull as its new team principal.
All this flak, coupled with the threat of Volkswagen Group plant closures, has led to speculation that Audi might cut its losses and find a route out of F1 before it has a Toyota-scale nightmare on its hands. But there’s little evidence of that happening, for now.
The sale of a minority share in the team to Qatar Investment Authority, the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar, means Audi still has full control of the F1 operation, and has secured ‘substantial’ investment that it can now deploy on improving the infrastructure at its bases in Neuberg and Hinwil.
And why would anyone buy a part of an F1 team right now? Because the sport is booming, and the value of teams has skyrocketed in recent years. Cha-ching!
Expect Audi to hold on to what’s essentially a massive pot of gold. Unless they are given an offer they cannot refuse.
NOTE: This story first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
