...you better hope not! © grandprix.com Audi diesel wins Le Mans - now what? Audi won the Le Mans 24 Hours on Sunday with a diesel-powered R10 sportscar. This will be the cause of much rejoicing at Audi but when the hullaballoo dies down the company will have to face up to the fact that the law of diminishing returns will soon kick in and winning more races with diesels is not going to make a huge difference to the sale of Audi vehicles, beyond consolidating the reputation that the company enjoys for its diesel technologies. The company needs to drive up sales in the luxury car market where it is in competition with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and (increasingly) Lexus. This is an important market segment as it is where big profits are made and it is logical to assume that Audi's parent company Volkswagen will eventually make the step into F1. Now is a very good time to switch into Grand Prix racing as the FIA is making life easier for the manufacturers outside F1 by forcing through new rules to restrict development and cut costs. Some of those involved in the sport do not like this but some of those outside may now consider things differently. In the case of Volkswagen, such a move would be easy as it already has strong marketing links with Red Bull, a company that has two F1 teams waiting for a manufacturer engine deal. We would not be at all surprised to hear of work beginning on F1 engine projects at Ingolstadt in preparation for an F1 assault in 2008, 2009 or 2010. Because of the cost-cutting plans the F1 job market will soon be flooded with F1 engine designers and Audi would do well to pick up some of the refugees as this would provide a quick and relatively cheap way to get engines needed to do the job in F1. ....I hope not, but probably for different reasons....
wasnt it veyron vs. F1 for Audi/VW group? and they went for the veyron for better "publicty" in the world rather than F1... also both cost the same amount, veyron cost vs. F1
Audi have no intention of moving into F1 - they don't feel that the series allows them to showcase their engineering in the same way endurance racing does. They used to do rallying, but now that's done by Skoda, and Seat handle the touring cars. VW would be the only VAG brand that might move into F1, but it doesn't really fit with their corporate ethos. Don't worry Tifosi, there are plenty of other teams who will give your boys in red a good pasting, when they're not cheating, that is.
f1-live.com reported that audi's not gonna make it to F1 anytime soon. too expensive is deemed as one of the causes. but they didn't rule out MS driving for them in DTM or something one day.
A few years ago, the management at VW said that they were not interested in F1. They are looking to compete where they can 'showcase' their brand. They do that alright at Le Mans for the last 7 years, were they have almost no opposition; their budget is enormous compared to the private teams. Joining F1, they would keep company to Renault, BMW, Mercedes (McLaren), Honda, Toyota, FIAT (Ferrari) as major manufacturers, and it would take them years to succeed - if ever. Look at the collossal budgets that Honda and Toyota are spending with no return to talk about. Toyota is getting cold feet after spending $billions and nowhere near winning. Honda don't fare better. Worse, even the Renault CEO is looking for a way out; and they are winning!! It wouldn't make sense for a major manufacturer to enter this field where it is not allowed to even use technology readilly available on showroom cars: traction control, ABS, CVT, variable cam timing. Now with the new 'freeze' on engine configuration, a manufacturer can't even pretend that F1 is for research. Try to explain the money spent on F1 to shareholders!!
I agree and disagree at the same time. The restrictions in F1 have always lead to new technology being produced. Ofcourse you cannot use ABS anymore but ABS was perfected in F1. Soon you will see half-automatic gearboxes disappear again, they are a result of F1. But everytime you take this technology away you challange engineers to find a better way to solve a problem. Engines will soon be restricted to smaller sizes I am sure, not just 8s but only say 1000cc for example. That will produce a new challange to get the cars faster in other ways. Audi would be great in F1. Why not have a Diesel powered F1 if it is competable? What is so bad about Diesel? We will soon see other technology enter the racing market. I am sure that someone is working on a hybrid/alternative high MpG endurance race car. Less stops means more laps. We may come to the point were we will see that driver fatigue is a bigger issue than how long the car can run on a tank of gas. I think all this is very exciting. Audi has lead the way to this revolution with the Race Diesel LeMans car.
Audi have committed to the ACO to be at LE mans for the next 5 years so presume any decision on F1 will be made for 2011 F1 season.
Please, no F1 diesel-powered engines...don't kill F1 as we love it with very high rev motors and that beautiful sound.... Do you remember Indianapolis 1968 and those Lotus turbine-powererd engines. Nobody liked that absence of noise!
If VAG wants to do F1 I'd suspect I'd do it under another brand name - they have plenty to choose from: Audi, VW, Lambo, Bugatti, Bentley, Skoda & Seat from memory. Maybe Skoda would be quite cool & tongue in cheek! I.
I'd love to see Audi in F1, but don't think it will happen. They prefer to dominate at the kid's table.
... in the mid-50's, a traditional 'laydown' roadster powered by a Cummins diesel (like todays Dodge pickup)! But WOW! Also in 1934, 2 entries with a Cummins diesel in a Duesenburg chassis! H.W. Stubblefield finished in 12th place, ahead of Louis Meyer/Rex Mays/Wilbur Shaw etc., and Dave Evans finished in 19th place. In 1934! james
Sounds like 4-rotor talk to me, lol. Audi or VW just doesn't seem like F1 to me. I do not see it fitting within their business as they are only about brand awareness. I would not like to see them join.
The last issue of F1 mag stated that there is rumor of Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn talking to the VW/Audi group about potentially getting an Audi F1 team together with those two highly involved and MS driving.... ***good ole rumors*** LOL never know though.............
You probably meant Renault, or whatever team Alonso is gonna be on next year. As much as I love Ferrari, him and his cars are just too dominating.
