Frogfoot9013 wrote:Backmarker wrote:I'll believe this when I see an Audi-engined car on the grid at a race.
Would they badge them as Audi though? Personally I'd love to see them badge the engines as Lamborghini particularly when you take their proud history in F1 into account!
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
The VW Group has occasionally shown interest in F1 - they sent representatives to the negotiations over the new engine format and, as Wallio rightly points out, the only reason why four cylinder engines were considered was because of VW (at least according to Newey, who claimed that the move was made to appease VW), who promptly walked out of the negotiations anyway.
Porsche have also confirmed that, if the VW Group had not given them permission to launch an LMP1 program, that they were actively considering developing an F1 spec powertrain instead given that there are certain elements of the energy recovery systems which could have been carried over from one program to the other.
With that in mind, I can see a slim possibility of part of the VW Group entering F1 as an engine supplier in the future, though the odds are rather against it given that they seem content to race at Le Mans, where they virtually have the race bought and paid for (the fact that Audi have been given an increased amount of space for advertising and for publicity stunts at Le Mans is not exactly coincidental given that Audi are also the primary sponsor of the event and paid for the recent refurbishment of the circuit facilities...).
In that instance, if they were to enter as an engine supplier, then perhaps I could see them approaching Red Bull - given the dissatisfaction Red Bull have shown with Renault, it is plausible that Red Bull would be open to approaches to change their engine supplier. It's still a fairly far fetched scenario though (if Red Bull were to switch, I think that they'd rather go Honda, the new manufacturer that has been confirmed for F1).
However, I can't see Audi or any part of the VW Group entering as a full blown manufacturer entry - they have shown no appetite for that in the past and I can't see that changing in the future either. Mercedes may have generated a huge amount of positive publicity for themselves by producing such a dominant package, but that has come with a sizeable price tag to match and I can't see the VW Group being prepared to stomach that sort of expenditure.