[Team] Audi F1

[TWRv12]

Audi rumoured to be readying itself for a 2016 return to Grand Prix racing. Insiders at Audi and its parent, the Volkswagen Group, have revealed that Audi is set to abandon both Germany’s touring car championship (the DTM) and the iconic Le Mans 24 Hour race in favour of the world’s top open-wheel formula.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/audi/89...oin-f1-in-2016

[Paradise City]

Well, it's just a hunch of my own but I think it's more likely they'll pull out of top tier sportscars altogether without a corresponding move to F1 whilst retaining their presence in the DTM and some classes of sportscar racing. Audi have done very well in sportscars for a good number of years and have a WC to boot.

And the VW people just plain do-not-like F1 at all.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Well, it's just a hunch of my own but I think it's more likely they'll pull out of top tier sportscars altogether without a corresponding move to F1 whilst retaining their presence in the DTM and some classes of sportscar racing. Audi have done very well in sportscars for a good number of years and have a WC to boot.

And the VW people just plain do-not-like F1 at all.

Yup, I wouldn't bet a single cent against your reading of this one Paradise City.

[S14]

Aren't the 1.6 Turbos supposed to be legal for Le Mans? Maybe we'll be seeing Audi engines, if not a full factory team effort.

[TWRv12]

This rumour gained more legs, Racer just picked it up and ran with it too!!!

[morningview66]

It would be a complete shame to loose Audi from the WEC just as it is gaining real momentum.

But on the other hand it wouldn't completely surprise me. They have dominated in sportscars they have an absolutely incredible team, which i would consider one of the best teams in all of sports. They might want to test it out at the absolute top level.

[Razor]

Is it April 1st already?

[P38 in workshop]

This notion surfaces every once in a while.Doubt it will ever happen,for two reasons.First-Audi tend to begin a new car eighteen months before the Le Mans it is intended for and every effort is focused on arriving there with the perfect car and with a strategy for quickly replacing the vital parts in the event of problems.It works very well for them.A Formula 1 team is developing parts at a rate that renders obsolete some of the choreographed routines,as the parts are less accessible or in a different location.No German engineer is happy with a project that is not perfect and developing parts and systems so rapidly makes absolute perfection unlikely.A car may work well enough with a new part thats 98% perfect but the engineer will suffer stress and anxiety.

The other problem is social-Volkswagen is effectively the engineering branch of the German civil service.It exists for the prosperity of the employees and the Bank of Lower Saxony and it happens to build cars as the means of doing so.There are rumblings of discontent from Mercedes shareholders about the cost of racing and these would be insignificant next to the noise the Volkswagen shareholders and local politicians would create.

[morningview66]

Good point, when i woke up in the cold light of this morning i realised i forgot to caveat my comments with the fact that we here these rumours of Audi (VW group) going to f1 about once every year and it hasn't happened yet.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

The last time a VAG rumour came up was because one of the teams turned up with new VW trucks pulling their transporters. I'd say this holds even less water

[Casper]

I think Germans are the ultimate realists and can anyone see a realist joining F1 these days? Pigs will sprout wings before that happens. The F1 brand is in trouble but those who are responsible appear to be too stupid to see it.

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

The last time a VAG rumour came up was because one of the teams turned up with new VW trucks pulling their transporters. I'd say this holds even less water

VW don't even make trucks badged VW

[DS"]

While there was an executive at Volkswagen, who wanted to push one brand into F1 (I think it was Wolfgang Dürheimer), he's now in a different position that doesn't allow him to do such decisions. Therefore, I really doubt that the VAG will send a brand to F1, especially Audi. After all, Le Mans and thus sportscar racing is an integral part of Audi's image as a sporty brand.

Also, no German media outlet is reporting it at the moment and I'd assume that they'd be the first to pick up such rumours.

[Born Racer]

Audi seem to be doing fine without the faff of F1. When I look around, I see Audis as desirable as BMWs and Mercedes in the recent past, so for sales they look alright. It would have to be an entirely sporting move, then.

[ger80]

Originally Posted by DS"

While there was an executive at Volkswagen, who wanted to push one brand into F1 (I think it was Wolfgang Dürheimer), he's now in a different position that doesn't allow him to do such decisions. Therefore, I really doubt that the VAG will send a brand to F1, especially Audi. After all, Le Mans and thus sportscar racing is an integral part of Audi's image as a sporty brand.

Also, no German media outlet is reporting it at the moment and I'd assume that they'd be the first to pick up such rumours.

Integral part of Audi's image? They do almost nothing to promote the Le Mans wins ...

[DS"]

Originally Posted by ger80

Integral part of Audi's image? They do almost nothing to promote the Le Mans wins ...

There were TV ads that featured the Audi R18 last year, plus ads in mainstream newspapers. So if you ask Joe Everyman about Audi, one of the first things that come to mind may be indeed Le Mans.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by DS"

There were TV ads that featured the Audi R18 last year, plus ads in mainstream newspapers. So if you ask Joe Everyman about Audi, one of the first things that come to mind may be indeed Le Mans.

Maybe so in Germany, but most definitely not here in Finland. I think very few people know that Audi have anything to do with sportscar racing. In newspapers Le Mans might just get a mention somewhere between 2nd division football and bowling.

[ger80]

When I asked our dealer in Germany for WEC tickets, he didnt know what I was talking about and offered DTM tickets

[DS"]

Originally Posted by TzeiTzei

Maybe so in Germany, but most definitely not here in Finland. I think very few people know that Audi have anything to do with sportscar racing. In newspapers Le Mans might just get a mention somewhere between 2nd division football and bowling.

Obviously, I was referring to Germany. I don't mean to offend you or Finland, but maybe Finland doesn't have the highest marketing priority for Audi, so that'd explain why you don't hear much of Audi's Le Mans successes over there.

Originally Posted by ger80

When I asked our dealer in Germany for WEC tickets, he didnt know what I was talking about and offered DTM tickets

That's pretty bad, if you ask me. A good auto dealer should know everything about the brand he's selling, including its exploits in the world of auto racing.

[Paradise City]

F1 would enhance their reach as F1 is splashed across the mainstream media. But they'd have to approach it carefully. It's not a given they'd get a top team from the off and if they want to do it themselves they might wind up sinking astronomical amounts of money in and reaping little in return, like Toyota did.

If there was a clear budget cap in operation, I could see them considering it. But the way F1 is now - nah.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by DS"

Obviously, I was referring to Germany. I don't mean to offend you or Finland, but maybe Finland doesn't have the highest marketing priority for Audi, so that'd explain why you don't hear much of Audi's Le Mans successes over there.

No problem

But I think my post kind of highlights the issue with sportscar racing. It doesnt get that much publicity, atleast when compared to f1.

But I have to say that I dont believe that Audi or VW in general are intrested in f1 until I see the cars on the grid. It's just so expensive and has absolutely no relevance with road cars. Not that LMP1 necessarily has much eather but atleast it's cheaper maybe easier to be successful.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by DS"

Obviously, I was referring to Germany. I don't mean to offend you or Finland, but maybe Finland doesn't have the highest marketing priority for Audi, so that'd explain why you don't hear much of Audi's Le Mans successes over there.

As if to proove that correct we in the UK have been treated to a fair few Audi LMP1 cars in there adverts over the last few years.

[Paradise City]

They've immediately rubbished the F1 claims on their official twitter feed.

Must've been some online marketing poppinjay knowing that Audi rumours do the rounds every year.

Would've been amusing to see an Audi versus Mercedes rematch after all these years mind you. Probably have to wait for another generation to see that in the big league.

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

F1 would enhance their reach as F1 is splashed across the mainstream media. But they'd have to approach it carefully. It's not a given they'd get a top team from the off and if they want to do it themselves they might wind up sinking astronomical amounts of money in and reaping little in return, like Toyota did.

If there was a clear budget cap in operation, I could see them considering it. But the way F1 is now - nah.

Budget cap or not, I'm worried that Audi might sunk it like Toyota if they go into Formula One.

[DS"]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Would've been amusing to see an Audi versus Mercedes rematch after all these years mind you. Probably have to wait for another generation to see that in the big league.

We've had Audi vs. Mercedes in DTM from 2006 to 2011. Trust me, it was boring.