Photo: image edited by autoevolution
The Singapore Grand Prix's Friday practice sessions have been overshadowed by a report coming from the BBC about the future of the Red Bull F1 team. According to Eddie Jordan, the founder of the now gone Jordan Grand Prix F1 team and BBC F1 pundit, the Red Bull F1 team is set to strike a deal with Volkswagen in the wake of underperforming Renault engines and disastrous results.
You've heard that right. The report basically tells that Volkswagen will finally step up its motorsport game by entering Formula 1 alongside Red Bull Racing. German manufacturer as main sponsor and engine supplier plus Austrian team based in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom equals a match made in heaven. Just close your eyes for a moment and imagine the possibilities. The near future looks extremely favorable, alright.
But we are not going to rely on our crystal ball. As most of you already know, crystal balls have made more errors than actually foreseeing the future. As a consequence of the crystal ball's shadiness, we'll refer to what happened behind closed doors at Vee-Dub during the automaker's most recent Formula 1 talks.
Current Volkswagen Group Martin Winterkorn talked the board of directors into entering the Formula 1 scene, but the recently dismissed Ferdinand Piech always vetoed the plan before anything solid was decided. The rumor mill hints that Volkswagen's last Formula 1 ambition was put to a grinding halt last winter, when former Volkswagen Group chairman Ferdinand Piech said "Absolutely nein, herr Winterkorn!"
A further reason why the Volkswagen-Red Bull F1 deal could turn out to be true is that the German automaker and energy drink manufacturer dominate the World Rally Championship as a team. As a matter of fact, the Volkswagen works rally outfit acquired its third WRC manufacturers' title in a row only recently.
Due to the unacceptable performance and reliability of Red Bull F1's current Renault engines, head honcho Dietrich Mateschitz declared that the team split from Renault was concluded "a few weeks ago." Dietrich suggested that Ferrari power is an "acceptable solution for the next two or three years." Based on this answer and Eddie Jordan's suggestion that VW will buy Red Bull F1, the team is expected to start using Volkswagen engines starting from 2018. In the interim, Scuderia Ferrari get-up-and-go will have to suffice.
Editor's note: "Das Auto gives you wings" doesn't sound half bad. We're keeping our fingers crossed the purported agreement will see the future Volkswagen Red Bull F1 team match the performance of the outgoing top dogs in the sport: the Mercedes-AMG and Scuderia Ferrari-powered teams.
But we are not going to rely on our crystal ball. As most of you already know, crystal balls have made more errors than actually foreseeing the future. As a consequence of the crystal ball's shadiness, we'll refer to what happened behind closed doors at Vee-Dub during the automaker's most recent Formula 1 talks.
Current Volkswagen Group Martin Winterkorn talked the board of directors into entering the Formula 1 scene, but the recently dismissed Ferdinand Piech always vetoed the plan before anything solid was decided. The rumor mill hints that Volkswagen's last Formula 1 ambition was put to a grinding halt last winter, when former Volkswagen Group chairman Ferdinand Piech said "Absolutely nein, herr Winterkorn!"
A further reason why the Volkswagen-Red Bull F1 deal could turn out to be true is that the German automaker and energy drink manufacturer dominate the World Rally Championship as a team. As a matter of fact, the Volkswagen works rally outfit acquired its third WRC manufacturers' title in a row only recently.
Due to the unacceptable performance and reliability of Red Bull F1's current Renault engines, head honcho Dietrich Mateschitz declared that the team split from Renault was concluded "a few weeks ago." Dietrich suggested that Ferrari power is an "acceptable solution for the next two or three years." Based on this answer and Eddie Jordan's suggestion that VW will buy Red Bull F1, the team is expected to start using Volkswagen engines starting from 2018. In the interim, Scuderia Ferrari get-up-and-go will have to suffice.
Editor's note: "Das Auto gives you wings" doesn't sound half bad. We're keeping our fingers crossed the purported agreement will see the future Volkswagen Red Bull F1 team match the performance of the outgoing top dogs in the sport: the Mercedes-AMG and Scuderia Ferrari-powered teams.
Google News