Audi acquires stake in Sauber F1 team

Audi has purchased a stake in the Sauber F1 team ahead of its plans to enter Formula One as both a constructor and power unit supplier starting in 2026.

The purchase was announced by Sauber on Monday, with Sauber describing the deal as a minority stake. Audi may gradually increase its stake to gain more control over the team as it prepares to compete in 2026.

Sauber currently competes in F1 as Alfa Romeo, but last August Alfa Romeo announced that the deal would end after the 2023 season. However, Alfa Romeo has not said whether it will withdraw from F1.

Audi first announced its plans to enter F1 last August, and two months later it welcomed Sauber as its factory team. Sauber will be based in Hinwil, Switzerland, and will be responsible for the development and production of the team's F1 cars. Sauber will also be responsible for the planning and execution of race operations. Audi will be responsible for the power units. Sauber currently relies on Ferrari power units.

Porsche, another Volkswagen Group brand, is also keen to enter F1 with its own power unit and possibly a factory team. Porsche had been in negotiations with Red Bull Racing, which ended last September without a deal. Porsche has stated that it is open to entering F1 if the right opportunity arises.

Cadillac also announced in January that it was seeking to enter F1 with Andretti Global, the parent company of Andretti Autosport. However, no details regarding their participation, including timing, have been announced, other than that the proposed team would be based in the U.S. and have support facilities in the U.K.

Meanwhile, as F1 continues to gain popularity in the U.S., even Ford has announced that it will be a partner of leading F1 team On the other hand, as F1 continues to gain popularity in the U.S., there are rumors that even Ford may be interested in becoming a partner of Red Bull Racing, a leading F1 team