Audi engine in F1 in 2016 isn't happening
- Thread starter Legro
- 187 comments
- 8,711 views
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
I stand firm by saying that F1 is a terrible option at this time, and that VW AG would be WASTING their time by placing Audi or another one of their brands in the series RIGHT NOW. Maybe when they stop screwing around with the rules and regs then it'd be "ok". However Audi races cars that showoff road going prowess and that isn't F1, that's WEC. Ferrari is entirely different because when you say Formula 1, you think of the red Ferrari's. When you say Le Mans now a days...you immidiatly think of the silver/red diesel Audi LMP1's. And that's why they stay in WEC.
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- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
So LMP racing is Offroad prowess?
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
Here in the States Audi ads show off the legendary Quattro of the 80's, the IMSA 90 Quattro from...err...the 90's, and the historic moment of the first diesel to win Le Mans. They tout Quattro, and road going prowess not off road. The LMP1-H R18 is a Quattro, and an F1 car is a RWD. Yes the GT3's are RWD, but the LMP's are 4WD. Audi rarely refers to Quattro here in America as for off-road use, more so as something that domainates conditions, and gives performance. That's WEC. For off-road Audi does Rallycross with the A3 hatchback.
And you misread me....I said "that *showoff* road going prowess."
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- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
I Don't get what your saying then.
Audi have done 2WD Before and are doing it currently.
Also All Wheel Drive has been talked about in Future F1 Regulations and would be easy to implement with the current power units by simply isolating the ERS to the front Wheels.
Audi have done 2WD Before and are doing it currently.
Also All Wheel Drive has been talked about in Future F1 Regulations and would be easy to implement with the current power units by simply isolating the ERS to the front Wheels.
- 4,219
- UK
When F1 is mentioned, it's hard not to associate it with Ferrari admittedly, but i tend to think McLaren, RedBull, Mercedes, Honda... Not just Ferrari.
Same with Le Mans.. i tend to think of others: Peugeot, Mazda, Porsche, Ferrari, Nissan, Jaguar as well as Audi etc etc. And although Audi translates it's race tech for real road use (which is amazing) i still think F1 has a far wider mass appeal to people in general around the world. Which ultimately results in brand awareness which in turn sells motor cars regardless of whether the tech involved is immediately or practically available.
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- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
I can't imagine a scenario where Audi leaves WEC, it's just not worth it. And yes you cannot deny the global appeal of F1 (I do like it...not as much as sportscar racing but still I am a fan of the sport and I hope they get their **** together), but with the success that Audi has had since 1999 in LMPGT-LMP900-LMP1/LMP1-H, I just don't think they leave to be a constructor in F1. Powertrain seller in F1 alongside WEC, maybe. But they won't leave WEC to have be an F1 constructor.
But let's not be rude to Le Mans now. It is consistantly the most watched sporting event around the world every year, and that is a fact.
But let's not be rude to Le Mans now. It is consistantly the most watched sporting event around the world every year, and that is a fact.
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- 4,219
- UK
Well we'll just have to wait and see i guess. Maybe you're right, maybe they'll never leave WEC, but they dominated Rallying back in the day and have dominated Le Mans/WEC for ages now. Maybe they feel it's time they expand on that domination and venture into F1, and widen their appeal and marketing success even further.
- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
Not even close.
The Lowest Viewed F1 Race destroys it in TV viewership by a mile, but then again the same could be said about Nascar and that is huge in the Worlds biggest market.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Looking at the version posted on racer.com, Audi's supposed interest stems from the potential for Alonso to become available in 2016 and Red Bull's problems with Renault. An Audi entry is a pipe dream as is, but an Alonso-Red Bull-Audi combination? Rubbish.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
- 35,196
- Addison,Texas
- GTP_RACECAR
Thing is though, Ferrari are solely a sports car manufacturer and I'm sure they aren't even considering the average Joe. They don't produce hatchbacks, Sedans, SUVs or anything else (and neither does McLaren for that matter) whereas Mercedes and Honda do and so does Audi. Its well known that Ferrari's Road Going business only exists to fund its racing in F1 (at least that's how it started), but its the complete opposite for everyone else.
- 20,681
- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
True, but Audi don't have any trouble placing their touring-size platforms in other sports. They're unusual out of the touring car/LMP manufacturers in that they also produce high-end sportscars. It's a completely different business model up there.
That's not to say that Audi are therefore a cast-iron future F1 entrant, simply that it could make commercial sense for them to do so. Still not as much as Porsche, imo, but given that it could be time for VAG to freshen their Le Mans brand by focussing on Porsche it makes more sense at the current time than it ever has (in my opinion).
- 1,382
- Minnesota
- SQE_HAZ3L
Audi just sent a tweet saying that the rumors aren't true. About as official as we will get I reckon. From @Audi_Sport:"#Audi in F1? There rumors keep appearing with regularity since years. It's pure speculation again this time and without any foundation"
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Clearly they're just trying to mislead us. I should know - I have impeccable sources. I refuse to believe that Jorge, the shoe-shine boy who works around the corner from an Audi dealership in Panama City doesn't know what he's talking about when he says Audi are entering Formula 1.
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
And if they continue to perform like they do they'll be dropped as it has been said prior in other threads. RBR claimed to look at other manufactures as well as building an engine in house and if that means dropping Renault and Inifinit sponsor for Audi they'll do it. They have enough money on their own without Renault and to be honest Renault need them more. So RBR could drop Renault for anything really, but Autoexpress is a bad group to trust when reading about Auto racing news.
- 21,261
- United States
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/autosport-news/318196/domenicali-to-start-work-at-audi-this-week/
I guess this helps fuel the Audi to F1 rumors a bit...
I guess this helps fuel the Audi to F1 rumors a bit...
- 20,681
- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
No, Infiniti is a division of Nissan (a la Acura/Honda et al), Nissan is a partner with Renault. The team name is clearly a result of IRBR's Renault partnership, if they changed supplier they'd have to make a new entry (a rubber-stamp exercise but required nonetheless), it seems pretty clear they'd drop Infiniti.
- 922
- Naples
- MarchingSaint
My opinion is that Audi is to WEC what Ferrari is to F1,so with such successful teams in WEC and DTM i doubt they'd think about a not-so sure expansion to F1; WRC is instead a possibility.
Although to me , every brand should be in atleast a racing series.
Although to me , every brand should be in atleast a racing series.
- 4,487
- YorkshireLand
- SVTlover
Audi & Porsche - WEC
VW - WRC
Skoda - WRC
Lamborghini - F1
Seat - WTCC
Sound about right?
- 922
- Naples
- MarchingSaint
you missed bugatti
but let me rephrase that: every brand in every racing league.Or many leagues as possible.
- 20,681
- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
If Lambo come back to F1 they'll need to do a lot better than last time
The more I think about it the more sense Audi in F1 makes. They risk going "stale" in LMP (imo), F1's new era of superpowerful super-"economical" 1.6 turbo engines is exactly what the non-supercar manufacturers want to sell. They can sell the F1 DNA right through to the showroom. For a performance brand like Audi (insofar as they aren't budget brands like Ford or GM) I really see that working.
Remember that Ferrari hate the new engines specifically because they can't sell a 1.6 without crying/fainting/just not doing it.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
What about Bentley in LMP1 and Audi in F1? Heck could even just rename and redo the styling of the Joest/Audi R18 e-Tron Quattro into (hypothetically) the Bentley Speed 10...great to have green at Le Mans again. 
Besides Bentley and Porsche competing isn't as obvious as Audi and Porsche.
Besides Bentley and Porsche competing isn't as obvious as Audi and Porsche.
