Audi have announced that the sovereign wealth fund of the state of Qatar, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), will join the Audi Formula 1 project as a long-term investor and partner. The QIA will provide a substantial capital injection into the project – allowing Audi to enhance their infrastructure and position the team for long-term success ahead of their entry to the sport in 2026.
The QIA’s purchase of a minority stake into the Sauber F1 team has raised questions regarding the financial stability of the Audi F1 project following major losses for Audi’s parent company, the Volkswagen Group.
Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG said: “Not at all” when asked if the investment was related to the parent company’s financial struggles in an interview with Motorsport.com. “When I stepped in as CEO of Audi, we had a review of the project and the question was how to proceed. And that was one year ago… So we decided to take in partners as other teams do, to be able to really build a strong team. So it’s not related.”
The investment follows the recent announcement that Gabriel Bortoleto will line-up alongside Nico Hulkenberg, and is seen as a reflection of the “trust and confidence that the Audi F1 project has already garnered”, according to Döllner.
“This additional capital will accelerate the team’s growth and is yet another milestone on our long-term strategy. QIA’s involvement further energises the dedicated efforts at both the Hinwil and Neuburg facilities as they work towards the entry of Audi in 2026,” Döllner said.
Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA said, “we believe in Audi’s vision and direction when entering Formula 1 and our investment will support the realisation of this goal.”
“QIA believes that Formula 1 is a sport with significant untapped investment potential. The increasing commercialisation of professional sports as an entertainment offering globally, and the increasingly popularity of Formula 1, has made for an exciting opportunity for our first major motorsports investment.”
As the 2024 season draws to a close, focus is turning towards the future as excitement grows around two new manufacturers, Audi and General Motors (GM), join the sport in 2026. You can read more on the GM entry here.
