The 2024 Method 1 season is winding down, however plans are already in movement for not simply the 2025 season, however the 2026 marketing campaign.
That season will carry monumental change to the game. Not solely will F1 implement a brand new sequence of technical laws for the 2026 season, however the sport may even see growth to 11 groups — with the newly-formed Cadillac-Basic Motors group becoming a member of the grid — in addition to Audi, at present the Sauber group, taking on as a works operation.
Now there’s extra information on that entrance.
Sauber Holding AG, the longer term F1 manufacturing unit group of Audi, introduced on Friday that the Qatar Funding Authority (QIA), the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar, has agreed to “purchase a major minority stake” within the Sauber Holding AG.
In line with the announcement, the QIA’s funding will “present a considerable capital injection and pave the best way for growing infrastructure and group buildout, positioning the group for long-term success in Method 1. The funding is per QIA’s deal with investments with long-term development potential.”
The transfer is the newest aggressive choice introduced by the longer term Audi F1 venture. In the course of the summer season the group introduced that Mattia Binotto, previously the Staff Principal at Ferrari, was becoming a member of as each the Chief Know-how Officer and the Chief Working Officer of Audi F1. It was additionally introduced that Jonathan Wheatley, the longtime Sporting Director at Pink Bull, can be becoming a member of the group subsequent yr as Staff Principal.
Audi introduced their drivers for subsequent season, a pairing of veteran Nico Hülkenberg and younger driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
Now the venture has the backing of the QIA, which in response to Gernot Döllner, the CEO of Audi, will “speed up the group’s development” and result in elevated hiring and infrastructure enhancements.
“The funding by QIA displays the belief and confidence the Audi F1 Undertaking has already garnered, underscoring unwavering dedication of Audi to the initiative,” stated Döllner. “This extra capital will speed up the group’s development and is one more milestone on our long-term technique. QIA’s involvement additional energizes the devoted efforts at each the Hinwil and Neuburg amenities as they work in direction of the entry of Audi in 2026.”
Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, the CEO of the QIA, pointed to the “more and more world recognition of Method 1” as a purpose for the transfer.
“Audi is a premium accomplice of selection with a wealthy motorsport legacy. As a long-standing investor within the Volkswagen Group, we imagine in Audi’s imaginative and prescient and course when coming into Method 1 and our funding will assist the belief of this purpose,” stated Al-Sowaidi. “QIA believes that Method 1 is a sport with important untapped funding potential. The growing commercialization {of professional} sports activities as an leisure providing globally, and the more and more world recognition of Method 1, has made for an thrilling alternative for our first main motorsports funding.”
The group will compete as Sauber for one last season in 2025, earlier than the change to Audi.
