https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60036659 Will VW come to F1? The Volkswagen Group is considering whether to make an F1 entry but Brown rejected claims that McLaren had agreed a deal with the German giant. Instead, he said he believed VW's Porsche brand would enter F1 in partnership with Red Bull. "I'm hearing they are going to do something with Red Bull on the Porsche front," Brown said. He said McLaren had spoken to VAG about F1 but said the team were committed to engine supplier Mercedes until the end of the current power-unit regulations in 2025. "They've spoken with a handful of people on the grid, and we had conversations," Brown said. "But in the short term and medium term we are very happy where we are. "So we are just going to wait and see are they going to come into the sport, because that's not been definitively decided. "If they do, we have a contract through this term and naturally we're going to evaluate where we are and take a decision on what we do in 2026 in due course."
I hope they stay out, this logic of"we will enter if you change all the rules to favour us" must end, we saw that movie with mercedes, and the result was 7 years of boredom!
Or the opposite, ALL the VW brands enter a team, almost doubling the size of the field. VW-Porsche-Audi-Lamborghini-SEAT-Skoda-Bentley-Ducati
Agree, nobody needs them, they will bring nothing good to f.1. What we need is historic teams like Ferrari, mac and williams at the front.
In my opinion, the more the merrier. More manufacturers mean more $$$. More $$$ more spectacle More spectacle more entertainment. If folks are worried about crowding the field, the simple solution is to take top X in qualifying.
The formula in 2026 is simpler than what has started in 2014 thru 2025 meaning no MGH-H. Not to mention, a possible partnership with RedBull whom already have an engine from Honda and poached engine engineers from Mercedes.
More sources talking - https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/33638303/vw-give-green-light-audi-porsche-enter-f1-sources VW to give its green light for Audi, Porsche to enter F1 - sources
OK, we can expect a new release in 2026.......on how they are considereing an entry on the sport for 2030....
Audi is aiming to take over Mclaren. According to corporate circles, a declaration of intent to purchase is coming.
The F1 team only, or the car company with it too? Because this was rumoured a few months ago, and later denied.
Racing team only or the whole shebang? Wouldn't surprise me if it was the latter, considering how... stale (for the lack of better term) they've become. Ron and Mansour were the driving force behind the team/car maker. Ron got the boot and I don't know if Mansour's children have their father's passion. For the rest of the shareholders (Bahrain, Latifi's father, etc.) it's no more than a trophy asset/parked money - accrued losses, no dividends, average/poor racing results over the last decade... I can see them wanting out and perhaps making a small (relatively speaking) profit.
I can't see VW needing another sportscar/luxury brand in its portfolio, but you never know. They already own Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley and Rimac, and adding McLaren to that seems over the top. But then again, if the price is right ...
OK, I suppose they will rebrand it too. So, with Mercedes, we could have 2 German F1 teams based in UK perhaps ? When you think Frank Williams resisted BMW buying his team ...
I'd love for Audi and Porsche to get involved in F1, especially the idea of Audi saving McLaren from being a doomed midfield team. But ... The VW group has a history of playing games in motorsports. Look no further than their history in prototype history. Great cars and incredible achievements, but the constant 'we're in-we're out' dance depending on the slightest change in the wind. Same thing has happened in Formula-E with Audi. Hell, Audi has all but confirmed they're cancelling their LMDh program. You can't play like that in F1. If you bring the prototype racing style of indecisiveness, success will be elusive. Clearly the VW group intends to use LMDh as a testing ground for their F1 program. I expect Porsche will do a full factory effort for a few years with Penske, then pull out, and concentrate on their F1 program. What I'm curious about is whether Porsche and Audi are coming in next year under branding deals with McLaren and Red Bull, or if this is something that's put off until 2026, in which case, *yawn*, they'll have plenty of time to weasel out of their commitments if political winds change.
That's why I said motorsports, not F1. Renault only took a brief break from 98-2000, so not comparable. Porsche got into ALMS from 06-08', then left after a title. They did world endurance from 14-17', then they and Audi left after some success and the emissions scandal at VW hit. Audi were in ALMS, until some of the LMP2 cars were equalized and they didn't like the competition. They lost interest in Bentley after its win in 03' at the 24. And of course, Audi left Formula E last year after jut a few seasons. I could go on, but this is just recent history. Doesn't mean they'll continue this trend, but it is alarming how they treat their motorsports programs. My guess is the LMDh program will be similar. It's a testing ground for F1 technology. After a few seasons, they'll pull out of that.
1977, Renault arrives in F1 with the first F1 turbo car as Renault Sport. 1985 Renault closes its F1 team 1986 Renault stops supplying engines. 2000 Renault buys Benetton team at Enstone 2002 Renault rebadges Benetton team as Renault Sport 2005- 2006 Renault takes 2 titles with Alonso 2009 Renault involved in the Singapore crashgate scandal 2010 Renault condemned for the crashgate scandal, loses sponsorship, sells team to Genii. 2011 Renault team rebadged as Lotus. 2016 Renault buys the Genii-Lotus team and rebrands it as Renault Sport 2022 Renault Sport rebranded Alpine. Amazing continuity.
Dude, you're trying to make it look like Renault has been in and out, when they've been very consistent, and that's just not the truth. Renault were in from 77-86, then from 89-97, then came back in 2001, and have been involved since. They have indeed only been a full constructor off and on, but with the exception of two very brief breaks, they've been second only to Ferrari in their engine support of F1. I'd love for Porsche and Audi to be as consistent. It would be great for F1. But I'll remain cautious.
