Audi may not hitch a ride on McLaren for its F1 dream race

Audi's partnership with McLaren for Formula One may not happen finally, indicates a report by Automotive News. The report claims that Audi's chance of joining Formula One via a McLaren investment is becoming more unlikely. The report also says that the price expectations between the two companies are too far apart. This could halt the German luxury car brand's ambition to be a part of the apex motorsports.

Earlier Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess revealed that both Audi and Porsche, two subsidiaries of the Volkswagen AG, plan to join Formula One for the 2026 season. They would be a part of the F1 world via engine or technology partnerships with existing teams, he hinted.

Diess also said that both Audi and Porsche would join Formula One since this highly competitive space is a perfect way for them to promote themselves. Also, this would give them the opportunity to test new technologies that can later make way to the street-legal cars. He said that the upcoming 2026 regulation changes are the perfect time for Audi and Porsche to enter the F1 arena, as the FIA plans to phase in fully sustainable fuels to run the internal combustion engines of the Formula One race cars.

While the future of Audi's partnership with McLaren is still uncertain, Porsche may join Redbull as an engine supplier to replace Honda who recently departed Formula One in 2021. As for Audi, it would invest heavily in the McLaren F1 team to secure a controlling stake and supply its new engine to the team, which currently uses a Mercedes-AMG sourced powertrain to power its Formula One race car. However, it seems the partnership is in jeopardy as pricing has become a sticking point between McLaren and Audi.