Audi’s low-key preparations have fueled speculation about its future, but the Sauber chief insists its commitment to F1 is unwavering. Audi announced last year that it had agreed to become Sauber’s “strategic partner” with a view to officially joining the team as a manufacturer team in 2026. Sauber has confirmed that it was acquired by Audi for an undisclosed sum earlier this year.
But since then, Audi has stayed out of the public eye and hasn’t revealed much about its progress. Therefore, some people have doubts about the initiative. At the beginning of this year, there was speculation that the development of the power unit was delayed, and recently a German newspaper reported that the team was even considering withdrawing from plans to participate in F1. Such talk was strongly denied by current Alfa Romeo team principal Alessandro Arunni Bravi, who explained that there were good reasons for Audi’s conservative approach. “Audi has a strong commitment to F1, and of course together with Sauber, this commitment is a decision not only of the Audi board of directors, but also of the Audi advisory board and the Audi/Volkswagen supervisory board,” Bravi said. Ta. “So this is a group decision and there is a commitment.” “The reason for the lack of communication is simple. We are Alfa Romeo F1 team stakes. So until the end of the year, we will be talking about the team, about the future, about Audi’s involvement.” “There are certain restrictions on what we can communicate about, and we fully respect Alfa Romeo in this regard. “In a sense, we don’t want to make any announcements beyond those strictly related to racing and the championship. No. As I said, the commitment is there.” Audi’s full acquisition of Sauber is planned in stages and is due to be completed in 2026, but Bravi will be built before the German company takes full control. Sauber denies that Sauber is in a state of flux regarding its investment plans. “We are working hard to develop the structure of the team,” Bravi said. “We have a strong recruitment plan. We have new people every week, including James Key (the new technical director). “It doesn’t matter if Audi is involved in funding the team or maintaining the development process. “We have two owners, two shareholders. Governance is in place at various stages of the transaction to be completed ahead of the 2026 season. We are moving forward with plans and everything.”
2023-11-09 13:36:40
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