Volkswagen, F1 ambitions

La Formula 1, après une période de troubles, est en train de se relever. Après le départ des firmes nippones Toyota, Honda et Bridgestone, les constructeurs allemands font le mouvement inverse. Mercedes, already involved as an engine manufacturer, bought Brawn GP to offer its own team, and Volkswagen seems destined to join the premier single-seater category. This is what Hans-Joachim Stuck, former Formula 1 driver and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and representing Volkswagen Motorsport.

« When you are the largest manufacturer in the world, you naturally think about it, but not before 2012 “, says HJ Stuck. “ We look for innovative things and F1 is one of them, as the pinnacle of motorsport. Two years ago, there was talk that Volkswagen would buy Red Bull F1 Team, which we didn?t need to buy. Why should we stick to one team if we can equip more teams with engines? »

For Hans-Joachim Stuck, the best solution for Volkswagen is not to invest in Formula 1 as a manufacturer but as an engine manufacturer. “ Look at BMW. They invested millions of dollars in their wind tunnel as well as their super computer and they are now out of business. Developing an engine and providing it to teams is the best choice. »

With five teams equipped with the Cosworth engine in 2010, Formula 1 opened up to “independent” engine manufacturers, a path that Volkswagen could soon follow.