An anonymous team principal is reported to have claimed that Audi have already struck a deal to take over the Sauber Group in 2026, but are holding back on the announcement.
Audi and Porsche have had their interest confirmed by parent company Volkswagen in entering Formula 1 in 2026.
That year will see new engine regulations introduced that will move the sport towards biofuel, so now is an ideal time for new engine manufacturers to get cracking with powertrains since every manufacturer will be starting from scratch in four years.
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Porsche have done that, and they are expected to supply power to Red Bull in what is becoming one of the worst kept secrets in F1 at the moment.
Better kept, if the rumours are true, is Audi’s plans for which team they plan to take over when they arrive alongside Porsche.
The German motoring giants have reportedly made attempts to buy McLaren, but those links are now dead in the water, leaving them with three realistic options.
Lawrence Stroll is said to be considering selling the Aston Martin team be bought under its Force India guise back in 2018, while Williams and Alfa Romeo have also been touted.
According to GrandPrix247.com, one team boss has firm knowledge of a deal with Sauber being completed.
“I don’t understand why Sauber and Audi are still hiding their collaboration,” they are quoted as saying.
“Audi secured 25 percent of the shares some time ago. And another 50 percent are to come. This is a really big sum of money.”
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Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur was said to be keen to deflect these rumours to Williams who, like Sauber, were once upon a time powered by another German brand – BMW.
“For me, Williams is the favourite,” GrandPrix247.com quotes him as saying.
“They have very good relations with VW and Germany.”
Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel was asked during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend whether he would be interested driving a car powered by one of the Volkswagen subsidiaries and, given that he was sat next to Fernando Alonso, he could not resist an age joke.
“How old are we going to be in 2026 Fernando? You will be 46 and I will be your age now We should keep going, yeah?” he quipped, as per Autosport.
Mercedes are currently the only German manufacturer in the pinnacle of motorsport, and only themselves, Ferrari, Honda and Renault have been making powertrains since the departure of Cosworth at the end of 2013.