Audi set to take over 75% stake of Sauber F1 Team - Reports
According to motorsport-total, Audi are set to take over 75% stake of the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team.
The report says that Sauber were approached by Andretti at the end of last season as well. They rejected an offer of €350 million, as the brand was not considered substantial enough. There were even concerns over what would happen to the employees and the company post selling.
With Audi, those concerns are not there. According to the aforementioned report, a deal might be on the table to take 75% stake in the Sauber F1 team. The report says:
"With Audi, Sauber is getting a strong partner who, according to information from 'Motorsport-Total.com', is willing to pay more than Andretti for fewer shares (Rausing is to remain on board as a minority owner). With the promise to further develop Sauber as a works team - very similar to the Sauber-BMW constellation between 2006 and 2009."
• Saward wrote that it seems the Audi buying Sauber rumors have come to Alfa Romeo‘s attention. Rausing (Sauber owner) would be happy to sell the team to someone with sensible plans in F1, so there is also potential for a proper Alfa Romeo team 👀
His blog is quite interesting.
An added positive for the team is that the current Audi CEO was the head of development for the BMW Sauber partnership between 2007 and 2009. The report adds:
"Today's Audi CEO Markus Duesmann, who pushed the brand's entry into Formula 1 at full speed, was head of development for the BMW Sauber team between 2007 and 2009 and still knows the conditions in Hinwil like the back of his hand."
Expanding on the development, the report says that the chassis would be built in Sauber's headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland. The powertrain would be created at the Audi site in Neuberg, Germany.
Rumor: Sauber, Audi ‘hiding’ 2026 F1 buyout - autoracing1.com/pl/369160
Rumors are that Audi will acquire 75% of the Sauber team over three years – 25% in 2023, 25% in 2024 and 25% in 2025. The remaining 25 percent will be retained by Finn Rausing who was, at one point, in nego... https://t.co/kJT49qgMV8
"The plan includes continuing to build the chassis in Hinwil, which is still home to one of Formula 1's most modern wind tunnels. The powertrain is to be created at the Audi site in Neuburg and thus developed and produced on German soil, unlike sister company Porsche, which will develop large parts of the drive train in England."
Former F1 driver gives his nod of approval to Audi
Former F1 and Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger gave his nod of approval to Audi's entry into the sport. The Austrian said that the team is capable of huge success in the sport, as it has shown in other categories as well. He said:
"Audi has an excellent engine department. If Audi does F1, I trust them to give a good picture. Technically they are good. In the DTM they are with their engine. Some drove in circles around the others."
It will be interesting to see when the deal materialises and Audi announce its official entry into F1.