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Sport — News — formula-1 — Volkswagen — grand prix of belgium — Handelsblatt — Audi — Rumor — Gernot Döllner

Despite all the rumors: Audi is entering Formula 1

In the summer of 2022, Audi announced its Formula 1 project from 2026, but a change in the German car manufacturer's chief executive fueled rumors that it would be discontinued. A clear announcement should now provide clarity.

,   and  James Williams
2 min read
The scramble is getting bigger in Formula 1: Audi wants to join from 2026.aussiedlerbote.de
The scramble is getting bigger in Formula 1: Audi wants to join from 2026.aussiedlerbote.de

Group boss Döllner - Despite all the rumors: Audi is entering Formula 1

Despite all the rumors, Audi still wants to enter Formula 1 in 2026. "There is a clear decision from the Board of Management and the Supervisory Boards of Audi and Volkswagen that Audi will enter Formula 1 in 2026. The plan is in place," the new boss Gernot Döllner told Handelsblatt.

Audi announced its billion-euro entry into Formula 1 for the 2026 season at the Belgian Grand Prix in August 2022. "With the new regulations, now is exactly the right time for us to get involved," said Markus Duesmann, then Audi CEO and Formula 1 supporter, at the press conference. Audi did not want to enter Formula 1 "just for the fun of it", but to show "what we can do. The Olympic idea of just wanting to be there doesn't support us," he said later.

Rumors of withdrawal simmered

However, the Volkswagen Group dismissed Duesmann at the end of June. His successor from the beginning of September was Gernot Döllner. The former Porsche man then began by gaining an overview of Audi. As he had a kind of 100-day silence obligation and did not comment on topics such as the planned and also internally controversial Formula 1 entry, rumors simmered about an exit.

Audi has long been preparing to enter Formula 1. The engine is being built in Neuburg an der Donau. The chassis comes from the Sauber team in Hinwil. Audi has long since acquired shares in the traditional Swiss racing team, which is still competing this season under the name of partner Alfa Romeo.

Read also:

  1. Despite the simmering rumors of withdrawal, the new Audi boss Gernot Döllner reaffirmed the company's commitment to entering Formula 1 in 2026, as previously announced by his predecessor Markus Duesmann at the Belgian Grand Prix.
  2. Volkswagen Group's decision to enter Formula 1 with Audi in 2026 was not merely a whim, but a calculated move, as Duesmann had mentioned earlier, with a focus on showcasing Audi's capabilities and not just for the sake of participation, like in an Olympic event.
  3. As the Grand Prix of Belgium approached in 2022, speculations about Volkswagen Group's involvement in Formula 1 intensified, with Rumor having circulated that Audi's entry into the sport could be in jeopardy post Duesmann's departure, and the subsequent appointment of Gernot Döllner as the new Audi boss.

Source: www.stern.de

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