Audi CEO reveals initial scepticism over F1 entry

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Audi chief executive Gernot Dollner has admitted he was not an early supporter of the company's move into Formula 1.

Audi chief executive Gernot Dollner has admitted he was not an early supporter of the company's move into Formula 1.

The German manufacturer confirmed its partnership with Sauber in 2022, but the project's early phase was unsettled by leadership changes and speculation about a possible withdrawal by the Ingolstadt concern.

"Yeah, you are right," Dollner told The Independent. "In my role as head of strategy of Volkswagen Group, I was quite sceptical regarding looking at Formula 1."

After becoming Audi CEO in September 2023, Dollner said a full review convinced him the project needed to be reinforced rather than scaled back.

"We looked at it and saw that our approach wasn't strong enough. Formula 1 - there are two ways to do it. You do it right or you step out. There is no halfway, because halfway you are at the back, so we decided to speed up the process to take over Sauber 100%."

That pivot brought in Mattia Binotto to lead the factory team, Jonathan Wheatley as team principal, and driver backing for Nico Hulkenberg alongside newcomer Gabriel Bortoleto. With major technical changes arriving in 2026, Dollner now believes the timing works in Audi's favour.

"Next year is a big moment - the biggest change in regulations ever. "We've got a new power unit, completely new chassis regulations. Nobody knows where they stand, but for us, our team is still in the build-up phase."

Audi is growing quickly but remains smaller than the leading outfits. "We have around 700 people and the top teams have 1,100," Dollner admitted. Meanwhile, Audi is also restructuring its road car division with significant job cuts, a move Dollner insists is not at odds with its F1 commitment.

"We see Formula 1 as a good investment. Motorsport and Audi fit perfectly. It will bring the brand into a strong position and energise our organisation."

Audi is scheduled to make its full works debut in Melbourne next March.

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