Audi to join F1 in 2016

[carinaman]

EJ said IF the engine rules change, VAG will be in F1 with Ross Brawn for 2017.

[Crafty_]

VAG wanted 4 cyl turbos, only when they decided to drop out did they move to V6 configuration.
The sticking point with the 4 cyl was the need for a subframe to mount the engine, that and Ferrari didn't want to build a 4 cyl engine.

[dafeller]

[quote=37chevy]a few thoughts

2) audis WEC budget is circa $50 million....f1 would be $200 million....big jump in cost


More economical and by all general accounts and beliefs, getting at more sophisticated technologies at a quarter of the price, and with actual trickle-down to consumer cars. Hard to beat the logic of sticking with that.

[Redlake27]

dafeller]7chevy said:

a few thoughts

2) audis WEC budget is circa $50 million....f1 would be $200 million....big jump in cost


More economical and by all general accounts and beliefs, getting at more sophisticated technologies at a quarter of the price, and with actual trickle-down to consumer cars. Hard to beat the logic of sticking with that.

Indeed. Whilst (LM24 excluded) the TV audiences for WEC are a fraction of F1 (and even national series such as BTCC) it is how they market it in the press, showroom, motor show and in social media that matters.

The average Audi buyer will not watch the racing, but will read about the TDi/E-Tron/Ultra etc messages in brochures, dealers and websites. Same with Toyota. A sexy racecar with Hybrid tech will be a key part of their communications plan to shift perception from the early worthy but dull Prius to more exciting hybrids. It is almost irrelevant how many people watch the race....it is the activation of the message that matters.