After several months of speculation about the possible participation of Audi in Formula 1, last August the German firm issued a statement confirming its entry into the Great Circus. A priori, he was linked to the McLaren team as a supplier of power units, with offers ranging between 400 and 600 million euros.
He was also associated with Williams, Aston Martin and, of course, Sauber, with whom he has confirmed his alliance for the next 2026 season , a date that coincides with his entry into the sport, as well as with the change in the engine regulations. which aims to promote the use of sustainable fuels.
In the presentation that took place a week ago in Madrid, the director of Audi for Formula 1, Adam Baker , assured that the firm would reveal new information about who would be its new partner “at the end of this year”. However, it has confirmed its alliance with Sauber just before the celebration of the next Grand Prix of Mexico.
Why has Audi chosen Sauber?
The firm belonging to the Volkswagen Group held talks for months with the McLaren, Aston Martin, Williams and Sauber teams. The latter became his main option, especially since it has a prosperous history in the world of motorsports, since it began its journey in 1993 at the hands of Peter Sauber .
For its part, the Swiss automobile construction company began hand in hand with Mercedes-Benz (until 1995), as well as with other firms such as Ford , Ferrari or BMW , which has made it recognized for its great passage through the Formula 1.
But it is not only history that has led to the alliance, Sauber also owns a state-of-the-art wind tunnel , which Audi previously leased for various projects, as well as a high-quality simulator.
For this reason, it is a key relationship since, in this way, Audi can enter with its own power unit, while minimizing the risk of configuring a complete team from scratch. Another positive point to consider is that, having closed an agreement more than three years in advance, it will allow both companies to work together and thus develop a comprehensive plan so that the development of the chassis and the power unit is almost perfect.
How does it benefit Sauber?
The survival of the Sauber Group has been threatened several times, especially in the last decade. However, they have always managed to find a way to continue despite the dire financial situation they carried for years. Not to mention the 2016 season , when the company was saved by Nasr in Brazil, as they came close to finishing the year without scoring.
In this way, signing with Audi means that they will be able to reach the budget limit, as well as be in equal financial conditions as the rest of the cast on the grid since their previous time at BMW. This will further its commercial appeal as well as secure its long-term future in the Formula 1 world, while also being able to provide seats for new F1 talent .
Likewise, Sauber’s chairman of the board of directors, Finn Rausing , referred to Audi as “the best strategic partner for the Sauber Group”, adding that they shared “common values and vision”.
