Audi defecting to F1 in 2016?

[Grand_Fromage]

Are we surprised?

[Jules G]

Are we surprised?

not really GF as soon as it was announced that Stefano Domenicali (ex Ferrari Team Principle) was joining Ducatti (part of the Audi family) it was inevitable.

[Grand_Fromage]

Should have had a sarcasm punctuation mark on the OP. Of course we are not surprised, rumours have been circulating ever since the announcement of Porsche returning to endurance prototypes.

Are we surprised?

not really GF as soon as it was announced that Stefano Domenicali (ex Ferrari Team Principle) was joining Ducatti (part of the Audi family) it was inevitable.

[Martini...LB]

Now that is a real shame, I know they get a lot of stick for being the best and most innovative but winners always will. They have however, I believe, increased the competitive aspect of Le Mans, other teams worked harder to try and beat them.

Probably good for F1 but it needs an injection anyway. They could buy Caterham

How long until June? Does this mean 2015 will be their last works year? If so it will make them even more competitive if that is possible.

>Martini...LB

[Bob U]

It would surprise me if they gave up on Le Mans being so close to Porsche's 16 win record. It seems to me that the 17th was what they were after given the amount of money pumped not only into the cars but into the circuit itself.

[Brad Zarse]

Now here's a twist...what if Porsche only came back to defend its record from Audi, and suddenly they lose interest?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Nordic]

To be up and running in 2016 means they need to buy a competitive team, Red Bull and to a lesser extent do Torro Rosso look the most likely, or an outside bet Sauber.

So Audi have one last swing at Le Mans, with Alonso as driver in one of the cars before rebadging an existing F1 team, kick out one the drivers and some of the management and drop in Alonso and Domenicali, then spend 5 years chasing drivers glory and umpteen millions of Euros before limping away at the behest of the owners of VAG, (who seem to be a bank and the people of saxony)

Oh and drop your DTM teams as well, sounds like a winning plan.

F1 if for drivers glory, Le Mans is for team glory.

However Audi did walk away from the WRC without a backward glance...

[Kristof]

They won't ...
https://twitter.com/Audi__Sport/status/526103398727565312

Audi just installed a new series that will run as a support race for DTM. Can't image they would drop all of that plus the R18 project for an adventure in F1.  Ullrich stated a few years ago already that they don't have any interest in F1.  The technology they're using at LM heads on to their roadcars, much more than anything happening in F1 in the past years and in just one race they do more mileage than on 1 season of F1 ...  Race on Sunday, sell on Monday.

Can't imagine Audi will leap into Bernie's dark room, needing a budget way beyond what they're spending now on DTM and WEC ... and without any guarantee for succes.  Besides, what's F1 still worth right now ?  They'll only have 18 cars on the grid at COTA, it sounds ridiculous and WEC is getting more and more attention lately.

[Canada Phil]

They won't ...
https://twitter.com/Audi__Sport/status/526103398727565312

Audi just installed a new series that will run as a support race for DTM. Can't image they would drop all of that plus the R18 project for an adventure in F1.  Ullrich stated a few years ago already that they don't have any interest in F1.  The technology they're using at LM heads on to their roadcars, much more than anything happening in F1 in the past years and in just one race they do more mileage than on 1 season of F1 ...  Race on Sunday, sell on Monday.

Can't imagine Audi will leap into Bernie's dark room, needing a budget way beyond what they're spending now on DTM and WEC ... and without any guarantee for succes.  Besides, what's F1 still worth right now ?  They'll only have 18 cars on the grid at COTA, it sounds ridiculous and WEC is getting more and more attention lately.
[/quote

Hi Kristof,
              I like your reasoning on this. I agree nothing of value to road cars for them to learn in F1 that they can not do in WEC & DTM .
Phil

[lofty]

VAG have got many sides and did'nt they employ an ex Ferrari bloke at Bentley. Ducati Seat or even Bugati might benefit from some new ideas.Do they need to go to dark side?

[clkgtrlm1]

Andre Lotterer did do a test in a Caterham.

[lynxd67]

Flatly denied in yesterday's paper here. They are not going, er, "racing".