But you are comparing apples to oranges, 45-50 years ago you didn't have NEAR the grip you do today, you could 'manhandle' a car if it was halfway close to being 'right', you could bang wheels and keep racing, today you scrape off some paint and you retire due to 'handling issues'. I KNOW you need more than 'merit' to be in F1, and that's one of the things I don't like about it today/the last 30~ years. I don't think a Senna could sell himself today to get into F1, whereas his skill got him into it in 1984. Remember: he tested with Williams, Brabham, Toleman and a couple others: they thought enough of him to test him, and he did damned well (but so did Rick Mears), but they either didn't have a seat for him, or he could not bring $$$ with him.... (Do some research - Bernie offered Mears a contract after testing, Rick turned it down) With all due respect to Max, Lewis, etc. I am not so sure they would be near as good if they raced back in the 70's and 80's. On the flip-side, I am not so sure a Senna, Arnoux, Berger, Mansell would be that great today, but smooth guys like Prost, Lauda, Watson, Alboreto would be OK... (?)
Binotto is already talking too much ( Audi will win till 2030!).. Really don’t understand Audi hiring him..
Nowadays, it's sponsors and PR people who decide who goes racing and where. As for Rick Mears turning down a seat at Brabham after satisfactory tests and a good offer from Bernie, years later, in an interview he said: "I decided I was going to do what makes me happy, not what pays the most".
And he didn't want to live across the pond. IIRC he discussed it in one of his two podcast episodes on 'Dinner with Racers'
Unless they are the 1 in 100 that get it right. Reminds me of the story of a guy walking into a bar, goes up and asks 100 women if they will sleep with him. 99 of the women slap him, but there's that one.....
Valtteri Bottas has revealed that he has agreed terms on a contract to stay with the Audi F1 team for the F1 2025 season, with the former Mercedes driver now “waiting for the green light.” Audi, who will take over the existing Sauber squad for the F1 2026 season, remain the only non-Red Bull team yet to finalise their driver lineup for next year.
Audi to be granted increased budget cap on entering F1 Formula 1 is to adjust its budget cap from 2026 to offset the costs of teams that operate in countries with higher salary levels, BBC Sport has learned. The move will help Audi’s attempts to become competitive when it enters F1 officially in just over a year’s time. Audi has bought the Sauber team, who are based in Switzerland where salaries are in the range of 35-45% higher than in the UK or Italy - where the other nine teams have headquarters. The decision has been under discussion for at least two years but was confirmed at the world motorsport council of governing body the FIA on Thursday. Although it means Audi will operate to a higher headline budget-cap figure than rivals, the FIA believes the change will ensure that all teams are operating on a level playing field financially within the cap, given their specific circumstances.
Doubt that as well. The bigger better performing teams had more money and better sponsorship deals. Smaller teams like Sauber were always struggling with cash issues / funding problems.
I saw that earlier this morning and thought to myself the exact same thing. Old habits never die I guess.
Valtteri Bottas is set to lose his Sauber seat for the F1 2025 season, with Audi F1 reportedly poised to confirm the signing of McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto.
I think Bottas has gone on the same trajectory as Ricciardo... sort of becoming more of a caricature of himself more than a serious driver. Obviously both had talent ... perhaps just not the dedication necessary to remain successful.
Bottas has no issues or reputation as not dedicated. He is in the worst car on the grid. Max did what for a few races in a lame RB20 - mid pack. Bottas outqualified LH 30% of the time and has wins - something Hulk has zero and very little big team experience vs Bottas. Timing has worked against Bottas who would be a far better selection than Hulk to help Audi develop. His stats are there and his reputation is not suspect at all. Fully disagree. He will go back to Mercedes according to the press today in a given role. Who is Zhou?? Your comments would be more applicable there vs Bottas lol.
Since he left Mercedes, Bottas has been more of less ... invisible. The Sauber must have been absolutely bad, because Bottas has never shown a spark of talent during the time he pedaled it. From day one at Hinvill, he simply went through the motions without much conviction. No surprise Audi (Binotto) wants him out.
Sorry the consensus is the car is just that bad. Would be the same for anyone and yet Bottas does beat his team mate lol. So no spark eh? What does that mean. Max had days of no spark in a not so great RB 20, more than a few races, not even on the podium. No wins for race after race. Bottas is far more experienced than Hulk, the Hulk with no wins or extensive winning big team experience. More than a few have questioned why Hulk and not Bottas. In the end its who you know. Thats what hired Hulk. Seidel who was then fired lol. Its timing nothing more. Certainly not record.
Regularly beating your young team mate on a bad car at the back of the field when you have 10 GPs under your belt is not showing sparks. But from time to time posting a good lap time in practice, in qualifs, or a bold overtaking move during a race that gets you noticed, is demonstrating some fire. If Bottas has experience, he hasn't been using it in the last 3 years, apart from following the train. I am puzzled about Hulkenberg choice too, but those who have worked with him say he is a good tester and easy to work with. Binotto thinks he may help developing the Audi. Here again, time will tell.
Audi looking at layoff's as well as VW(upward of 3 plant closures). The news around this part of the world for German car companies is rather bad at the moment. How long will they toss money at F1 with sales in most VW brands suffering. Porsche is the exception. --According to Germany’s Manager Magazin, Audi is planning on cutting thousands of jobs outside the factory floor, in addition to its plans of closing a plant in Brussels and wiping out 3,000 jobs there. As the publication writes: In the medium term, the company says that jobs will be cut mainly in the indirect sector, with more than 2000 jobs at stake in development alone. Indirect sector means all those who do not work directly in production. According to Audi figures, there were around 30,000 in Germany at the end of June. The target in the indirect sector is a reduction of around 15 percent, according to Audi management. That would be around 4500 jobs in the indirect sector in Germany alone For context, in this case, “indirect sector” workers include those in research and development roles — you know, the stuff people buy German luxury cars for. Interestingly though, Manager Magazin states “There are to be no layoffs,” which means its possible this shedding of jobs could be a slow burn as employees get packaged out or retire. So, where does the blame lie here? Well, between new models being held up by Volkswagen Group’s CARIAD software subsidiary, middling demand for some new electric models like the Q6, and reports of high-margin performance models having to be re-worked, it appears there’s lots of reprobation to go around, mostly in C-suites.--
Audi looks likely to agree a part-sale of its Formula 1 team before it even gets on the grid. The complete takeover of Sauber was considered essential by Audi at the start of 2024, when it opted to up its original 75% ownership to 100%. That process is due to be finalised ahead of 2026, when Audi will rebrand the team completely and officially enter F1 for the first time at the start of new regulations that will include the debut of Audi’s first F1 engine. Reports in Germany indicate that Audi will not have complete ownership of the team by then, though. An investment from Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, which has hundreds of billions of dollars of assets in various countries across a range of industries, is believed to have been pursued this year and could be announced at the Qatar Grand Prix in three weeks’ time. Qatar would make a minority investment, leaving Audi with a controlling stake in the F1 team. WHY (PART) SELL? Audi is not commenting on the speculation but its interest in such a deal likely reflects the extra investment required to turn around Sauber’s headquarters in Hinwil. Purchasing the Swiss team while setting up its own bespoke F1 engine facility at the Audi Neuburg base has come at immense cost. Based on the original deal for 75%, acquiring 100% of Sauber has likely cost around $600million. The engine development will likely have a nine-figure cost attached to it too. Funding further developments at Hinwil via external investment will ease pressure at a time when the parent VW Group is taking drastic action to reduce costs, including Audi plant closures and thousands of jobs being cut.
It looks like the crisis isn't only affecting VW-Audi. None of the manufacturers is doing great at the moment. I blame the EU ever changing policies for this downturn; there is so much uncertainty in Europe, that it affects sales figures.
