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 convey monumental change to the game. Not solely will F1 implement a brand new collection of technical laws for the 2026 season, however the sport can even see growth to 11 groups — with the newly-formed Cadillac-Common Motors workforce becoming a member of the grid — in addition to Audi, presently the Sauber workforce, taking up as a works operation.
Now there may be extra information on that entrance.
Sauber Holding AG, the longer term F1 manufacturing unit workforce 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 keeping with the announcement, the QIA’s funding will “present a considerable capital injection and pave the best way for rising infrastructure and workforce buildout, positioning the workforce for long-term success in Method 1. The funding is per QIA’s deal with investments with long-term progress potential.”
The transfer is the most recent aggressive choice introduced by the longer term Audi F1 challenge. Throughout the summer time the workforce introduced that Mattia Binotto, previously the Workforce 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 Crimson Bull, could be becoming a member of the workforce subsequent yr as Workforce Principal.
Audi introduced their drivers for subsequent season, a pairing of veteran Nico Hülkenberg and younger driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
Now the challenge has the backing of the QIA, which in response to Gernot Döllner, the CEO of Audi, will “speed up the workforce’s progress” and result in elevated hiring and infrastructure enhancements.
“The funding by QIA displays the belief and confidence the Audi F1 Mission has already garnered, underscoring unwavering dedication of Audi to the initiative,” mentioned Döllner. “This extra capital will speed up the workforce’s progress 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 reputation of Method 1” as a purpose for the transfer.
“Audi is a premium companion of alternative with a wealthy motorsport legacy. As a long-standing investor within the Volkswagen Group, we consider in Audi’s imaginative and prescient and route when coming into Method 1 and our funding will assist the belief of this objective,” mentioned Al-Sowaidi. “QIA believes that Method 1 is a sport with important untapped funding potential. The rising commercialization {of professional} sports activities as an leisure providing globally, and the more and more world reputation of Method 1, has made for an thrilling alternative for our first main motorsports funding.”
The workforce will compete as Sauber for one remaining season in 2025, earlier than the swap to Audi.