Audi considering F1 sale as CEO reveals 'strong interest'

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Audi F1

Audi considering F1 sale as CEO reveals 'strong interest'

Audi are considering selling a further minority stake

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Thursday 17 September 2026 10:57

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Audi is considering selling a minority stake in its F1 team with CEO Gernot Dollner revealing there is "strong interest".

The German automotive giant made its debut on the grid in 2026 after taking over the previous Sauber team.

Even before an engine had started in earnest, Audi had sold a stake in the team to The Qatar Investment Authority - the sovereign wealth fund for the Middle East nation. That stake is reported to be around 30 percent.

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Now, according to German news agency DPA, Dollner is considering selling more shares but with a strict caveat - it is 'inconceivable' that Audi would ever end up as a minority shareholder.

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'The interest is very high' - Audi CEO

"The interest is very high, I can say that. But at the moment, we see no need to act hastily," he said at a press conference in Madrid.

Dollner said any future sale would be via 'a very structure process' and that he sees 'positive momentum' for the Audi project. The team has an initial five-year plan through to 2030.

F1 team values have skyrocketed in recent years on the back of a new wave of interest in the sport. That has at least partly been driven by the hit Netflix F1 show 'Drive to Survive'.

Mercedes are currently valued at $6billion on the back of team principal Toto Wolff selling a 5 percent stake late last year.

Mercedes are valued at $6billion after Toto Wolff sold a stake.

While the commercial value of the sport is growing fast, Audi have also enjoyed a promising first campaign on track. They currently sit eighth in the constructors' standings, four points adrift of Haas in seventh.

Move to V8 is not a red flag for Audi

F1's controversial move towards electrification in 2026 [it implemented a 50:50 split between ICE and battery power) was reportedly driven in part at least by Audi.

Now all the talk is of a potential return to V8 power due to the backlash from fans and drivers who have likened the new style of racing to Mario Kart.

We can all join the dots to predict that would not be something Audi would want, but Dollner says it is not a red flag.

"I wouldn’t go that far. We’re engaged in constructive dialogue with the FIA and the other engine manufacturers. There are various ideas on the table, and ultimately a sensible proposal will emerge."

There is one line that Audi will not draw back from though, and that is on the fuel used in F1 moving forward.

"The fuel will remain sustainable - that’s important to us," said Dollner.

"That would be a red line for us, but it’s not up for discussion. The emotional aspect - that is, how audible the engines are - naturally plays a role too. We’re well aware of that."

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