Qatar is arriving in the Formula 1 paddock. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) – the investment fund of the Gulf State, owner of QSI and PSG – took advantage of the Grand Prix this week at Losail to announce this Friday the buyout of a share of the future Audi team, present on the grid in 2026.
“QIA has signed definitive agreements to acquire a significant minority stake in Sauber Holding AG, Audi’s future factory team. With this strategic investment, QIA will enter Audi’s Formula 1 project as a long-term investor and partner,” Audi presented in a statement.
“For long-term success in F1”
Mentioned for several weeks now, the purchase of part of Audi by QIA should be valued at around 30% of the shares of the future team. “QIA’s investment will provide a substantial capital injection and pave the way for increased infrastructure and team building, positioning the team for long-term success in Formula 1,” he said. we still read in the press release. “We are not selling part of the team,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi present at Losail this weekend. We are buying the whole of Sauber and bringing in a new partner to inject additional capital. »
Qatar Investment Authority already owns 17% of the shares of the Volkswagen (VW) company, owner of Audi, and responsible for launching the brand’s Formula 1 project. “Audi is a premium partner of choice with a rich motorsport heritage. As a long-time investor in the Volkswagen Group, we believe in the vision and direction of Audi as it enters Formula 1 and our investment will support the achievement of this goal,” assures Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA.
We are excited to share that we have partnered with Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) to accelerate our preparations for Audi’s 2026 Formula 1 debut.
The partnership will help achieve significant milestones in the short term, driving both the growth of our team and the… pic.twitter.com/9Ta0fv8FIk
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) November 29, 2024
Expected on the grid in 2026 in place of Sauber, 100% bought for 650 million euros, the Audi team benefits from significant financial support to directly reach the highest level of performance. On the track, the team led by former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto will count on the experience of Nico Hülkenberg, 37 years old and more than 200 races under his belt in the premier category, and the youth of Gabriel Bortoleto, championship leader. of Formula 2 and future rookie in Formula 1 in 2025.
