They claim that they have two different sources for that.
Looking at latest reports two days ago from Volkswagen Cars about cost saving, this might be a wider cuts plan in the whole Volkswagen group. But that’s just me speculating.
“Volkswagen finance chief issues savings targets” “In an internal letter, the managers of the Volkswagen brand are advised to reduce costs. Among other things, capacity savings are planned.” “The savings efforts at the core brand of the Wolfsburg car company are gaining momentum - VW brand boss Thomas Schäfer wants to save ten billion euros by 2026 in order to create return targets for the group’s board of directors.”
Audi already left Formula E, cancelled the Le Mans hypercar, announced the end of GT3 and Dakar racing. Formula 1 would be the sole motorsport left to promote their brand.
Audi doesn’t need to promote their brand, they’re already the car of ever trust fund supported “business owner, middle manager, and bank manager or stock broker
create return targets for the group’s board of directors
Layman’s translation please
They need to make sure they still get bonuses
I used Google translate for the above. Here is DeepL as alternative:
“VW brand boss Thomas Schäfer wants to save ten billion euros by 2026 in order to meet return targets set by the Group’s Board of Management.”
So they wrote down some money making numbers on paper for 2026, but to get there, they need to save 10 billion euros.
Not a good look for VAG if true. First Porsche make a big deal about entering F1 and then can’t find anyone who wants to work with them. If Audi then bails out after committing to buy a team and being an engine supplier it’s not going to reflect well on the brand.
Maybe a way back into F1 for Honda though?
Honda has already been announced for Astain Martin haven’t they.
I don’t believe it’s true, btw. Why would only a single sportscar outlet report on that and not a single one with connections to F1?
Audi isn’t even in F1 right now. There are no connections to F1 publications, it all comes from the sports car world.
And it’s not been good news lately. Pulling out of HyperCar, scaling back the GT3 and TCR programs.
Audi isn’t even in F1 right now. There are no connections to F1 publications, it all comes from the sports car world.
But Sauber is.
Audi doesn’t own Sauber yet, only 25%. And what level of communication goes on between the parties is unknown.
And what level of communication goes on between the parties is unknown.
Sauber has to know of the deal falls short, likely even by law. And plenty of motorsport outlets cover both F1 and sportscars and somehow Radio Le Mans is the only one where not one but two sources said the same and nobody else heard of it? Doubful.
Yes but there are notification and reporting periods, this may have been decided internally and leaked by a rogue employee while the company liaison with Sauber planned to inform them in a few months after they drafted a full plan of withdrawal
Depends on how the deal is written. Audi is buying chunks of the team, not it all at once. It would be pretty stupid for them to not have an out. And it’s not uncommon for company acquisitions to fall through.
It’s also not being reported as a story, but as a rumour. And not by Radio LeMan but someone on a podcast. Someone who will have connections within Audi through sports cars.
It’s also not being reported as a story, but as a rumour. And not by Radio LeMan but someone on a podcast.
Eve Hewitt uses the “@radiolemans” handle, so I guess when Hewitt says it, it’s the same as Radio Le Mans saying that:
Not really.
They’re also saying it’s a rumour they’re trying to follow with and confirm. The only one treating it as fact seems to be you.
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So Andretti taking over? ;)
That’s the suggestion the hosts of the show make.
