TBK-Light.com

But if you don't know that, and you see an announcement with a complete car and headlines of AUDI TO JOIN F1 IN 2026, and questions if that will be the delivery that they will use, then the news that they will only make an engine is quite meh indeed.

Again, everyone can have their own opinion, but I would get more excited by news of one or two extra teams on the grid, than I get from a new engine manufacturer joining an already existing team.

So Audi likely teaming up with Sauber. Alfa leaving Sauber. Would Ferrari allow them to use Ferrari engines while Audi is looking over the shoulder?

Bold prediction: Sauber switching to RBR engines

Personally grid size is more important to me than the name on the side of the engine cover, Porsche & Audi joining is cool and all but in the context of F1 constantly cockblocking Andretti I find it pretty meh - Andretti joining would be far more exciting to me



Yes pls



Don't breakfast shame

What I found interesting from the Domenicalli interview is that he said Andretti wasn't the only new independent team that has expressed an interest in joining

So obviously F1 is on the up in some ways, but if the powers that be in the sport weren't locked into this "10 teams makes them good franchises people have to buy off us to get into the sport" idea and was run as a motorsport and not just a business, we might well be competing with Indycar for grid expansion over the next few years, and with that the return of pre-qualifying or whatever else

But there hasn't been a racer's instinct at the top of the sport for decades now so it'll probably forever be 20 until one of the teams collapses and we dwindle down to 16 or so

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I'd be chuffed if Andretti joined as well, but aside from name and being American what do they have that indicates they'd be successful? They're not exactly dominating Indycar at the moment, and I assume they'll need to partner with a designer and chassis builder for the car. Right now as far as I know all they really have is name, and a few good driver contracts. The funding, the car, the engine, the sponsors will all need to come via that name and that branding. They'll certainly pull in the sponsorship, but whether anything else will be up to even Haas levels is unclear.

I'd be a lot more intrigued if someone like Roger was interested in joining F1, and I imagine he'd be getting a bit of a warmer reception as well.

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the lack of humility of Liberty bureaucrats is outstanding

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Indeed, but if it boosts their image/PR value outside of F1, I suspect their board will view it as a successful venture. It was probably the same goal for Alfa Romeo. They enter the sport touting all kinds of cliché phrases about being motorsport purists and wanting to chase the ultimate trophy. But at the end of the day it's just a glorified advertisement campaign for their brand.

Yeah I got momentarily excited thinking we were finally going to have more than 20 cars on the grid. My ideal figure would be to have 12 teams like we did in 2010 IIRC. A 24-car grid just felt right.
Anyhow, my gut feeling is that Audi will follow BMW's most recent F1 business model. Which is to enter F1 as an engine supplier (akin to the Williams-BMW partnership), before taking over majority ownership of a team a couple years later, if it still makes financial sense. And similar to BMW, wouldn't be surprised if that ends up being Sauber again.

I don't know what news reports you have(or haven't) been reading but it's pretty much a lock they're going to take over Sauber

I think they're doing it this way so they get 2 news headlines out of it. "Audi to enter F1" and then in a few weeks "Audi to take over Sauber"

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RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

Edit: rumours about a driver seem to be untrue

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A driver in 4 years time, can't be too old.

I just realized. Next year Alonso will have driven for half the grid if you count previous names.

- Renault/Alpine
- Ferrari
- McLaren
- Minardi (now alpha tauri)
- Aston Martin

And he did 2 stints at McLaren and 3 at Renault.

and managed to burn the bridges in 3 of them

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Adam Cooper believes that Alpine will buy out Gasly's contract and that Marko will attempt to replace him with Colton Herta.

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Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

Sounds like ricciardo is very low on the list of alpine.

Just saw an interview with otmar and they asked him if Danny was an option if piastri deal would fall tru. Wouldn’t give a straight yes or no. Just some political bs that it was too early and Monday was around the corner etc.

Retro is cool! If that is the case then it will be just like Renault in the early 80's. Expect the team to implode.

Spa confirmed for next year.

Lame, just one year. That's because negotiations with another track (Kyalami) didn't work out. They'll look for another track and it will be the same story again next year with Spa. Only on the calendar until they've found a track that's willing to pay more.

I still believe that some countries should be paying for that spots and an additional to keep tracks like Spa and Monza on the calendar. They have infinite money and could do this

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