An Audi takeover of McLaren is “the hottest rumor in the paddock” – according to a report, the Woking team would not be interested in a sale.
Audi and Porsche are expected to enter Formula 1 starting in 2026, and the extent of their potential involvement will likely become clearer when the new engine regulations are ratified at a December 15 World Council meeting starting this season.
Although both brands are under the umbrella of Volkswagen, they are expected to take separate entries into Formula 1, with Porsche being associated with Red Bull or Williams as an engine supplier.
However, Audi might consider buying the whole pig and buying a team directly, or just the racing team ”.
But whether this interest would be reciprocated seems doubtful, as the report states: “McLaren does not appear to be very interested in a sale at the moment”.
After McLaren went through a difficult financial period during the pandemic, McLaren put itself back on a more solid footing and in December 2020, American sports agency MSP Sports Capital bought 15% of its Formula 1 team for £ 185 million to bring that stake to 33 to increase% next year.
In addition, the upper cost limit introduced this season and the boom in F1 mean, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, that all teams are “on the verge” of making profits, which means the need for external investments or the attractiveness of buying out.
McLaren F1 CEO Zak Brown recently said: “I think Formula One teams can definitely be worth billions. McLaren will be a profitable racing team in the not too distant future. I don’t think that could have been said before the budget ceiling came into effect.
“It was a sport that had as much to spend as the biggest funder in the sport, so the franchise was more about who can afford to lose the most, and that’s not very attractive to a lot of people Franchise model. I think that changed things fundamentally. “
If Audi is serious about taking over a team, Sauber / Alfa Romeo could be another option after the recent break in talks with Andretti Autosport.
As for Porsche, Auto Motor und Sport says paddock whispers suggest they are “targeting Williams as an alternative” if a deal to supply engines to Red Bull proves to be a no-go.
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