Audi says no to F1

[Super Tourer]

Just to back up the FIA's position and contradict Willam's and McLaren's recent comments, Audi says it has no plans to enter F1 due to the costs involved.


www.grandprix.com/ns/ns08696.html

[Sodemo]

Stick in the muds

[Super Tourer]

Or maybe shrewd, reported to have spent less than £50M winning sports car races all over the world, inc the major US races and Le Mans.

What 'sells' your brands image of build quality and reliability more, a 1-2-3 in a 24 hour race, or having your cutting edge F1 machine belching smoke, for at least 6 times the cost?

[kdr]

i think the amount of audis that pass you on the motorway is testament to their nous...

[slicktoast]

When you look at it this way, then all the companies in F1 are fools! Maybe in 2008 the break away series won't be "F1" but...

[Logrence]

Look at it this way - Peugeot leave F1 after a torrid time and spend just £30 million to win the WRC...

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by slicktoast
When you look at it this way, then all the companies in F1 are fools! Maybe in 2008 the break away series won't be "F1" but...

On the button, matey!

[BootsOntheSide]

Audio are defiantely right not to enter, as it would cost a fortuen to be competitive, especially in a few years when Toyota have really reaped the results of their spending.

[Raven]

I hope VW build an engine for CART in 2005.

[avsfan733]

Audi is not sending a factory team to Le Mans from what i have heard

[alfasud]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
What 'sells' your brands image of build quality and reliability more, a 1-2-3 in a 24 hour race, or having your cutting edge F1 machine belching smoke, for at least 6 times the cost?

Were you referring to Jaguar, or car makers in general?

[Armco Bender]

"We Couldn't Beat Ferrari Either" would hardly be a great advertising slogan for Audi,no ones going to rush in to F1 when theres no hope of winning anything.

[Valve Bounce]

Look at it this way: if Audi enterred F1, just how long do you think it will take before they could win the WCC? and if they did not win the WCC or WDC, what benefit would it reap from enterring F1? And what harm would occur if they came last in races or on the grid?
Being an F1 enthusiast I would dearly like to see many more teams in F1, but I cannot see the wisdom of any car manufacturer enterring the sport, no matter how much the expenditure, if they could not reap positive benefits like improved sales.
On the same tack, I can see Ford pulling Jaguar out of F1 if either Jordan or Minardi started to beat them.
On the other hand, non car manufacturers entering the sport would not have the same problems. I mean Sorbent or Kleenex toilet rolls would really benefit - we come last and clean up the rear could be their slogan.

[Jay]

Why would anyone go into F1 when it costs in excess of $300,000,000 to challenge for the championship? I wouldn't be surprised if Ferrari even reconsiders it in the near future....they're not doing so well financially.

[Valve Bounce]

Jay, please don't do that. Things are gloomy enough as it is.
If Ferrari has to pull out of F1, I would not be surprised if several other manufacturers follow.
Remember Mercedes pulled out when they were at the top? I also remember Lancia pulling out.

[Jay]

Well, F1 has to do something about it. Reduce costs, that's the only answer I can see... make it more appealing for companies that might not be as large as Honda, Toyota and Ford to enter teams in F1. Perhaps add a bit of 'spec' to the series to ensure the competition isn't determined so much by dollars and cents. Perhaps change F1 from 'What you can do with half a billion dollars(if you have it)' to 'What you can do with 50 million dollars'.

[Valve Bounce]

Jay, you are preaching to the converted

[f1manoz]

I'm not surprised Audi will not enter F1. They've just won Le Mans 3-4 years in a row, last year with a 1-2-3. Why ruin their reputation by spending five years in F1, worth a billion dollars, and not win?

Wise decision makers I say.

[Valve Bounce]

Yeah!! and Le Mans has a bigger following among the general motor racing fans than F1, and costs a helluva lot less to run a team. They win 1 race, they get to advertise it all year.

[Smokey 6 litre]

is Audi taking a backstep from motorsport,
less interest in Le Mans (private teams entering the R8)
No F1,
are they going to quit everything.

Although...The Audi group seens to still have an interest (Le Mans Bently) it could be that tghey just dont want Audi to have the motorsport money.

[Super Tourer]

From what I've read the focus is on Bentley this year, but Audi importers are still backing privateer cars.

Next year I believe there will be a new Audi sports car..certainly no interest in F1 though due to the horrific costs, which is potentially bad news for Sauber who have been courting VW/Audi for years and invested big money into their factory in order to become a big player (hopefully in partnership with a car maker).

This is why I cannot understand Ron and Franks argument that dumbing down will put manufacturers off. Two teams have gone broke, and there wasn't exactly a stampede from car makers to pick up their entry, even for peanuts.

[Asp]

Rumours about VWAG entering F1 have been on-and-off for at least 12 months. I don't really see this as a surprise, and we'll probably hear another rumour mid-season that they're considering entering F1 again!