All of the major exotic vehicle manufacturers have competed in F1 or, at the absolute least, provided engines for the sport throughout its history.
The F1 grid has formerly featured vehicles with the names Aston Martin, Maserati, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Porsche, Lamborghini, Lotus, Jaguar, and Mercedes Benz. You now have a real who’s who of the automotive industry, including the enduring Ferrari and contemporary automotive behemoths Honda, Renault, and Toyota.
Despite its long history and popularity, there are surprisingly few names from the real world of motorsport on the roster of teams competing in F1 today.
The only car brands you can actually buy are Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, and, to a lesser extent, McLaren. The two Lotus teams who absurdly compete this year have no connection to the British sports car manufacturer of the same name (owned by Malaysia).
The concentration of ownership of these well-known names is one of the main issues. They used to be powerful, independent businesses, but today they are just branches on the conglomerate tree.
For instance, Fiat is the owner of Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Ferrari. Audi, Bugatti, Bentley, and Lamborghini are all under Porsche control at Volkswagen.
Where are Peugeot or BMW? Why are Japanese firms no longer in a position to compete? Why couldn’t one of the Porsche stable’s brands stand in for the group?
Audi has developed a solution. They have revealed their cards after years of tease teasers about an F1 effort.
Audi believes that F1 is unimportant. Audi’s director of racing, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, defends the harsh decision.
The road has no bearing on this. Audi has long participated in motorsports that our customers care about, like rallying and touring cars, which helped develop the quattro, FSI, and TFSI systems that are now included in our road cars.
This is the reason we rejected F1 in 1999. Instead, we made the decision to compete in the world’s biggest race. We chose Le Mans.
They are combative words. However, the argument has some merit given the number of passenger car manufacturers competing alongside Audi (11 in all) at Le Mans events.
That didn’t prevent Audi from planning an extravagant celebration in Singapore to coincide with the F1 race, though.
As brutal as Dr Ulrich’s assessment is, he gets the Ban Ki Moon award for diplomacy compared to the blunt assessment of F1 offered up by Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller who declared that it was “not interesting and “too expensive.”
Of course, the two erudite men omit to mention that F1 is an absurdly challenging sport to master.
Why risk it all to be an afterthought in a world that is so different from your own when you’re the big fish in Le Mans racing, as is the case with Audi, or when you have many series exclusively dedicated to your brand, as does Porsche?
You know you’re not in Kansas anymore when racing behemoths like Mercedes and Ferrari attend a class from an energy drink manufacturer.
That, though, is the appeal. F1 should be unpredictable and innovative; it shouldn’t only be about racing road cars.
That is not to claim that Formula One is a very inventive sport. The idea that F1 has significantly advanced the automotive industry is widespread, but it doesn’t hold up to thorough examination.
F1 is better at extending existing technologies than it is at inventing new ones, leaving aside traction control and monocoque construction. While improvements in this field certainly have an impact on the passenger market, they don’t often garner the same attention as high-profile innovations like airbags.
The Olympics wouldn’t exist if sport were exclusively about practical applications, though. It wouldn’t be fun to see Usain Bolt shatter world records; we’d rather to watch police officers take out criminals.
Although Audi would be a great addition, F1 is unique and different, and the sport will continue to exist without them. In addition, a number of well-known past participants are already lined up to participate in the 2014 engine upgrades, joining first-timers Volkswagen and General Motors.
F1 is still without a doubt the best series, even though the Le Mans 24-hour may be the world’s best auto race (although the people of Monaco may disagree).
In This Article...
Why aren’t BMW and Audi in Formula One?
Since the World Drivers’ Championship was established in 1950, BMW has been involved in Formula One in a variety of capacities. Before developing the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s, the business competed in sporadic races in the 1950s and 1960s (typically under Formula Two rules). The team’s chassis were powered by BMW engines from 1982 to 1987 as a consequence of an agreement between BMW and Brabham. Nelson Piquet won the 1983 title while operating a Brabham BT52-BMW during this time. ATS, Arrows, Benetton, and Ligier teams were also given the M12/13 by BMW during this time, with varying degrees of success. Brabham briefly left the sport in 1988, and BMW stopped officially supporting the engines, which were still being used by the Arrows team under the Megatron moniker. The 1989 revision of the Formula One Technical Regulations outlawed turbocharged engines, making the M12/13 obsolete.
In the late 1990s, BMW made the decision to return to Formula One and entered into an exclusive agreement with the Williams team, which was in need of a new long-term engine supplier following the departure of Renault in 1997. A new V10 engine was produced as a result of the work and debuted in competition in the Williams FW22 in 2000. The collaboration advanced from the midfield to contending for race victories the next year, but the desired title remained elusive due to Michael Schumacher and Ferrari’s domination in the first half of the 2000s. BMW decided to sever ways with Williams in 2005 as their relationship had deteriorated, and instead decided to purchase the rival Sauber team outright.
The BMW Sauber project, which ran from 2006 to 2009, significantly raised the Swiss former privateer team’s competitiveness. A strong third place performance in the Constructors’ Championship in 2007 followed two podium places in the inaugural season (which became second when McLaren was disqualified). Robert Kubica won the team’s lone race in 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix, and briefly held the lead in the Drivers’ Championship, but the team decided to concentrate on 2009 car development and fell back in the standings at the end of the season. Due to the F1.09 chassis’ lack of competitiveness, the 2009 season was a significant letdown. BMW decided to leave the sport, returning the team to its founder, Peter Sauber, in addition to the global financial downturn and the company’s displeasure with the constraints of the current technical standards in developing technology relevant to road cars.
Is Audi an F1 competitor?
Porsche and Audi will both compete in Formula 1, according to Herbert Diess, CEO of parent company Volkswagen Group.
Diess announced that the group’s Porsche and Audi brands will both participate in the sport during an online “Dialogue with Diess” question-and-answer session. He said, “You just run out of reasons [not to join F1].
The decision to enter F1 divided the Volkswagen Group board of directors, according to Diess, who also disclosed that the board ultimately decided to approve the move since it will generate more money than it will cost.
Why isn’t VW in Formula One?
The German automaker has been making progress with its F1 intentions and recently made a public announcement saying that a final approval to proceed would come when F1’s new engine regulations for 2026 were finalized.
However, VW CEO Herbert Diess disclosed just how far along the firm is in its preparations in a YouTube video he posted on Monday in response to queries from citizens of Wolfsburg, where the company is headquartered.
According to Diess, an opportunity to make the move has arrived that won’t be replicated for some time because of the surge F1 is experiencing in important areas like the USA and the potential presented by an entirely new regulations set in 2026.
“The Formula 1 fan base has greatly increased in the United States as a result of the marketing that is taking place there and Netflix. Asia is expanding substantially, particularly with regard to youthful consumer groups.
“When comparing big sporting events throughout the world, Formula 1 is the only competition that actually matters and is getting more and more distinct.
“If you compete in motorsports, you should focus on Formula 1, as it has the biggest impact.
“In addition, you cannot enter Formula 1 unless a technological window opens, which requires a rule change to allow entry: everyone must restart from the same position.
Currently, Porsche is working with Penske to prepare an LMDh attack at Le Mans, while Audi has recently concentrated its factory efforts on the Dakar Rally.
“According to Markus Duesman, the chairman of Audi and a former head of powertrains for BMW F1, you can typically gain one second per season on a medium-sized racetrack by merely optimizing the little things.
“However, you can’t make up for it when you join a new team; it takes five to ten years to be at the top. In other words, you can only join if there is a significant regulation change.
“That is already happening and will continue to happen until 2026, when engines will be considerably more heavily electrified, including using synthetic fuels. That indicates that you require the development of a new engine, which will take three to four years.
“That implies you can choose to participate in Formula 1 right away or elect not to for ten years. And our two premium brands are giving that a priority because they believe it to be the right thing to do.
Diess affirmed that the Volkswagen brand will not be a part of the organization’s F1 aspirations, with Porsche and Audi resolving to enter the sport on their own.
Red Bull and Porsche have been tied together the most, with Diess confirming that Porsche’s intentions are more “concrete” than Audi’s, which has not yet chosen a partner.
“He stated that VW will not be involved. “The brand won’t participate since it doesn’t fit.
Diess claimed that a move to F1 was a no-brainer given that Porsche and Audi had high long-term sales goals and that study had shown that F1 programs could help the two automakers turn a profit.
“He claimed that because Porsche is the sportiest automobile brand on the planet, it must participate in motorsport.
“And you come to the conclusion that, if Porsche participates in motorsport, Formula 1 is the most effective course of action. There’s virtually a need to check that box.
Added him: “Compared to Porsche, Audi is a considerably weaker brand. It can’t charge such a significant price premium. Due to the far bigger potential for the brand, Audi actually has a stronger argument for participating in Formula 1.
“They are advancing into more competitive markets where they will face off against Daimler, and Audi will also have a cause to support their position.
“Additionally, Audi sends between four and five billion to Wolfsburg each year, and it will send even more with Formula 1 than without. You simply run out of reasons at that point.
“You may object, “But I don’t believe in Formula 1,” but there are solid reasons to believe that the sport will continue to develop. Why should you limit them if doing so results in increased revenue?
Even though Diess believes that Porsche and Audi should enter the Formula One, he has acknowledged that not everyone on the VW Board shares his opinion at a time when the auto sector is undergoing change due to the transition to electric vehicles.
“He stated that not everyone on the Board agreed with the conversation. “Certainly, we have other strategic interests.
Will BMW ever compete in F1 again?
BMW claims that the reason for its lack of involvement in the racing is the F1 organizers’ tardiness in implementing electrification technology.
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BMW doesn’t appear to be prepared to return to Formula One. Frank Van Meet, head of BMW M, stated that the carmaker has no desire to compete in Formula One. When it comes to its goals in motorsports, the automaker is instead expressing a greater interest in the Le Mans Daytona hybrid, or LMDh, according to BMWBlog.
Why does Lamborghini avoid the F1?
Although the Italian automaker has produced some of the most iconic automobiles in history, Lamborghini hasn’t been the dominant force in Formula 1. Even more people have discovered the sport thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, but some auto fans have noted Lamborghini’s absence from the grid.
Despite not taking part in the event in 2021 or 2022, the Italian automaker has previous experience. According to F1 Technical, Lamborghini raced a vehicle dubbed the Lambo 291 in the 1990s. Despite possessing a strong V12 engine, its brief career didn’t turn out as expected.
There isn’t an official Formula One team for Lamborghini. However, the Italian automaker did make a foray into the sport in the early 1990s. This was the time the automaker ordered engineers Mario Tolentino and Mauro Forghieri to create a new vehicle based on the automaker’s L3512 naturally aspirated V12. Like all F1 vehicles at the time, the Lambo 291 had a carbon-fiber chassis. The automobile was about 1124 pounds in weight. The only transmission used to provide V12 power to the rear wheels was a six-speed manual.
It’s interesting to note that Lamborghini didn’t want its name on the squad since the company didn’t want to damage its reputation if the team failed. The team’s name is Modena because of this. However, Lamborghini decided to call its vehicle the Lambo 291.
Despite enormous expectations, the Lamborghini F1 car wasn’t a huge success. The 1991 Formula 1 season was the sole time the Lambo 291 was active. The pre-qualifying sessions served as its initial test. To even be eligible for one of the 16 races that year, the car had to perform well in these qualifying sessions.
Sadly, the automobile only competed in races six times. The Lambo 291 finished sixth at the U.S. Grand Prix on its best day. Lamborghini didn’t want to invest in a struggling squad, despite the fact that the company had one respectable finish at the beginning of the season. Despite having great hopes in 1992, Modena never returned to Formula 1.
Even if it happens, Lamborghini rejoining Formula One is doubtful. Just to enter costs $200 million. The current teams each receive an equal share of the money. Budgeting would also be required for the creation of a whole new vehicle and powertrain. Because Lamborghini lacks the same racing heritage as Ferrari, it would be prohibitively pricey.
Why tinker with success when Lamborghini’s Urus SUV is breaking sales records? If anything, Porsche or Audi have a stronger chance of entering Formula 1 because Lamborghini is controlled by the Volkswagen group.