Villeneuve fears Sauber’s partnership with Audi: ‘Does Audi really want to win?’

From 2026, Audi will appear as a new name on the Formula 1 grid. The entry of the German car manufacturer is already causing a stir within the world of motorsport. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated Former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has spoken about the partnership between Sauber and Audi.

The Audi team previously announced its intention to participate in Formula 1 as an engine supplier through a partnership with the Swiss Formula 1 team Kick Sauber. However, it now appears that Audi is aiming to buy the entire team and Villeneuve is not happy about that.

Audi may follow Renault

The 2024 season has not started well for Kick Sauber. After four races, the team has yet to score a single point. According to Villeneuve, Audi joins a weak team. “They’re joining a team that hasn’t been good for years. You can’t just generate knowledge. It’s something you develop over a long period of time.’

In addition, Villeneuve questions Audi’s intentions when it comes to participating in Formula 1. The Canadian wonders if Audi really plans to start racing and win races or if the car manufacturer is more concerned with brand awareness. Villeneuve is all about Renault and the Alpine team. Since Renault introduced itself as a manufacturer in Formula 1 in 2016, the team has won only once, that is in Hungary in 2021, and the French team was able to take advantage of the chaotic situation.

Does (Audi, editor) join Formula 1 in the same way as Renault/Alpine to be part of it and gain name recognition or to be racers and overcome the wonders of Villeneuve? According to the Canadian, the biggest risk lies in the fact that Audi, as an engine manufacturer, can decide from one moment to another to leave the game again. ‘What’s bad for developers is that they can decide to stop again within five minutes. They are fantastic for sport, but they can also be very dangerous.’

The current drivers of the Kick Sauber team, Valterri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou, are not yet guaranteed a future with the team. The contracts of both drivers expire at the end of this year.