Former Toro Rosso owner and friend of Red Bull Owner Dietrich Mateschitz, Gerhard Berger, "confirmed that Audi was in discussons to take over Infiniti Red Bull Racing," according to Henning Eberhardt of SPONSORs. Audi, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, "has been rumored to enter F1 for some time." Now Berger said that Mateschitz "tried to sell the Red Bull Racing team to Audi, which would have taken control of the team in '17." Berger: "During my Toro Rosso days, he [Mateschitz] tried to convince Audi or the Volkswagen Group to join F1. It was close several times, but at the end it didn't happen." F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone recently said, "It would be great if they [Volkswagen] would enter" (SPONSORs, 5/11).
RED BULL MAKES THREAT: The BBC's Andrew Benson reported Red Bull said that it will pull out of F1 if either it "cannot get a competitive engine" or Audi does not "join forces with the team." Red Bull is frustrated with partner Renault's "failure to master the hybrid engines introduced into F1 last year." Red Bull Motorsports Dir Helmut Marko said that Red Bull was "interested in doing a deal that would see Audi enter F1." Marko: "If we don't have a competitive engine in the near future, then either Audi is coming or we are out." But he denied that Red Bull had "already been in formal talks with the German company." He said, "There are so many rumors. Officially there was no request or talks. The VW Group first has to sort out who will be the new chief of support, who will run the brand of VW, and when they have sorted all these things maybe then they can think about what they are doing in motorsport. I was on the phone but not to the people you think" (BBC, 5/11). AUTO EXPRESS' Steve Fowler reported Audi Chair Rupert Stadler said that the likelihood of Audi entering F1 "looks stronger than ever." When asked to "confirm yes or no, whether Audi would be competing in F1 within the next five years," Stadler smiled, "shrugged his shoulders and paused" before saying, "I can't answer that." When pressed that it "sounded more like a yes than a no," he continued, "It's something we're looking at, but then we're always looking at it and many other things. But I can't say yes or no." Rumors have "started to build again following comments made to an Italian newspaper" by former Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo. Montezemolo reportedly said that Mateschitz is "trying to lure Audi into Formula One to replace Red Bull's current engine supplier Renault." Stadler is "also keeping a close eye on Formula E and hinted that the company may increase its involvement in the fledgling championship." The Audi Sport ABT team is currently second in the standings with driver Lucas di Grassi leading the drivers' championship having just extended his contract with the German team. Insiders at Audi and its parent, the VW Group, have "previously revealed that Audi is set to abandon" both the German Touring Car Championship (the DTM) and the Le Mans 24 Hour race in favor of the world's "top open-wheel formula" (AUTO EXPRESS, 5/11). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin reported there has "long been speculation about whether Audi might be tempted" into F1, but it has "grown louder now that Ferdinand Piech has quit as chairman of parent company Volkswagen." Piech was seen as being "strongly against" F1 (REUTERS, 5/11).
'IT WOULD BE GREAT': GMM reported when asked about the VW Group, Ecclestone said, "It would be great if they came in" to F1. Should a VW brand like Audi enter F1, "it might end all the speculation about Red Bull -- currently struggling with Renault power -- quitting the sport." Ecclestone: "They (Red Bull) won't leave. I want to avoid that." Ecclestone added that he understands Red Bull's "frustration with the current 'power unit' rules." He said, "I can understand that and I'm not happy about it either" (GMM, 5/11).
