Audi F1. The very idea is makes the heart skip a beat as if you’re thinking of something a bit taboo. Though everyone and their brother, sister and second cousin twice removed have whispered the unfounded rumors on internet forums and even on some news pages, most know that the likelihood of it actually happening is slim-to-none. Having invested considerably in the diesel R10 Le Mans program and shown a clear preference for participating in series where they can maximize on race-to-road technology development, it’s a very safe assumption to say that Audi won’t be going into Formula One any time soon. Still, seeing those four silver rings plastered on an F1 racecar is enough to cause some talk around the water cooler. All the better if such an sight is a super-detailed CGI based on an actual F1 chassis, as has been created by the talented Australian architect and designer Kim Stapleton.

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Unfortunately, F1 is too restrictive and directly hinders Audi's ability to showcase it's engineering prowess. This is precisely why Audi competes in the ALMS, where they have the freedom to design and test their newest technological advances.

I actually prefer seeing Audi in a less restrictive series like sportscar, touring car in the '80s, etc. Still, you can't help but love seeing an Audi F1 car in the pixels.

Let me know if you plan to make it to any of the ALMS series races this year - If so, make sure to come by and say hello.

I am a huge fan of Audi and their motorsport program. BUT Audi has been in Sports Cars for too long. I am 18 and everyone around me doesnt like Audi and realy doesnt care about endurance racing. Le Mans in most countires only apeals to die hard motorsport enthusiasts.........

In general outside the USA the only motorsport everyone knows is Formula 1 (dont get me wrong, I hate F1). Walk up to the average person and ask him who Tom Kristensen is and he wont know, but he will know who michael Schumacher is.

If Audi wants to be the leading car manufacture by 2015 then 1 thing they must do is compete with both BMW and Mercedes on the track. Formula 1 is the best way to do this.

I am part of the upcoming generation who still think BMW and Merc is better than Audi

They dont care about Le Mans , its just Formula 1

I pearsonaly think Audi should go into F1, to promote itself.

REMEMBER the Auto Union and the 4 rings was formed by HORCH, AUDI, DKW and Wanderer to go compete in the World Grand Prix Championship (Formula 1 in the 30s) Formula 1 is a great part of Audis motorsport heritage!

I know people are now going to say..........."Its too expensive" "It will take too long to be competative" "There is no technology transfer"

So What?

"Its too expensive" ? Bull @@@@ Spyker is in Formula 1 for crying out loud! Audi has much more money that that little Dutch car maker.

Formula 1 is the best way for Audi to promote itself. The lack of technology transfer doesnt matter. The Audi brand promoting itself is much more important!

Anyway, Audi cant expect to do Endurance racing forever!

Look at this trend.

Toyota at Le Mans 1990-99 then went to F1
BMW Le Mans 1990's then F1 with Williams
Mercedes Le Mans early 1990's then F1 with Mclaren

Formula 1 is the logical next step........

If Audi goes to anything else that would be regressing.

Fan of Cher and Audi

Also a fan of:
Within Temptation
Q: The only thing more emotive and piercing than the sound of V12 supercar engine?
A: The voice of Sharon den Adel(lead singer of WT)

"no one's ever going to write, "Oh, she's actually just a pretty f---in' average chick who really loves what she does." That's not gonna happen."-Kristen Stewart

would that coincide with the racing season ending north of the equator??

that makes no sense at all to me. Just to start, given the global economy do you think VAG would want to deal with US unions and the cost to profit margin?

Schumacher/Audi F1 gmbh is an open url

And on the NASCAR remarks, it does make sense from a marketing stand point. But then again, why would VW build a factory here, when it would be cheaper just to import the cars? And that was to illustrate the first thing that needs to be remembered: NASCAR had made it so foreign automakers have to build cars in the US. VW clearly doesn't want a US plant, so that doesn't matter.

The second is that VAG doesn't give a rat's behind about NASCAR. It's probably more restrictive about its rules than F1, and is nearly as expensive for a factory to do a whole season. And to do that, without being able to utilize their technical prowless, makes no sense to Volkswagen Group or Audi. So they see NASCAR as kind of a waste of time. In addition to dealing with the economical issues and the like, VAG will look at it as a waste of time, as they already have plenty or factory space in Europe.

So unless some one takes it upon themselves as a privateer(highly unlikely to say the least), there'll be no Audi/VW presence in NASCAR anytime soon.

Modified by chernaudi at 9:09 PM 2-28-2007

Fan of Cher and Audi

Also a fan of:
Within Temptation
Q: The only thing more emotive and piercing than the sound of V12 supercar engine?
A: The voice of Sharon den Adel(lead singer of WT)

"no one's ever going to write, "Oh, she's actually just a pretty f---in' average chick who really loves what she does." That's not gonna happen."-Kristen Stewart

PM sent. If you care to share your info, send to George@Fourtitude.com. I'll be in Sebring, and likely at Lime Rock and Mid Ohio as well... but definitely at Sebring.

In short....

1.) Money - it's already been invested in the R10's development. Further, for less money, they can get more headlines and be dominant versus more money and not winning races like BMW.

2.) Philosophy - Audi likes to research a series and its rules, then engineer the crap out of their cars to be utterly dominant of a series, transferring technology to the street in many cases, and eventually being forced out because they become too dominant (Touring Car, Sportscar) or the series implodes / they pull out due to an unsafe environment (Rally circa Group B).

The designs are great!, and it doesn't look like a crazy design proposal, it feels lika a real concept that would very well match audi's image in the case audi did the big step to get into F1.

I don't think audi will get into F1 anytime soon, since it's a big investment and they might not do as well a as the R8 and R10 project for a fraction of the price.

But who knows, they are broadening their product range with the R8, Q7 (also TDI) and the S and RS models quite quickly, and their main rivals are deeply into F1, so it might make sense in a marketing and branding point of view to fight them in F1 too.

¿Could we have a wallpaper sized image of the audi's? 1280x1024 or 1600x1280?

True, but the average F1 fan around the world is probably not aware of the FIA's constantly changing regulations. What they see is Ferrari and Renault kicking butt, and that image rubs off on their production cars.

....BMW

Just wondering how would the V12 TDI Diesel engine compare to the current V8 gas engines? I don't really know the engine specs of either engines so anyone out there knows?

But if F1 decides to go green, it may be a good chance for Audi to jump in.

Audi R8
Horsepower: 620@6250 rpm(2002), 620+@approx 6250rpm(Audi Powered Lola LMP)

Torque: 516 ft/lbs@5500 rpm

Displacement: 3.6 liters/219 CI

Asperation/induction: Twin Garrett trubos, 32.2-29.9mm restictor(depnding on year), Audi/Bosch FSI direct injection, Twin alumininum plenum intake(one per cylinder bank), individual runner per cylinder.

Fuel: 100-102 octane unleaded gasoline(Shell, Total/Elf, Sunoco)

Audi R10 TDI.
Horsepower: Est. 650-700bhp@ approx 4750-5250rpm

Torque: Est. 811-885 ft/lbs @ approx 3000 rpm.

Displacement: 5.5 liters/335 CI

Asperation/induction: Twin Garrett variable vane geometry turbos, 39.9mm restictors, Audi/Bosch TDI direct diesel injection w/piezo-electirc injectors, Twin aluminum or carbon fiber plenums(one per bank), individual runner.

Fuel: Shell VPower GTL ultra low sulphur diesel.

2.4 liter F1 V8
Horsepower: est. 900+@18,000 rpm.

Torque: est. 260 ft/lbs@ unknown rpm.

Displacement: 2.4 liters/146 ci.

Asperation/induction: Naturally Asperated, carbon fiber intake w/individual runner per cylinder.

Hope that helps, as I don't follow F1.

Fan of Cher and Audi

Also a fan of:
Within Temptation
Q: The only thing more emotive and piercing than the sound of V12 supercar engine?
A: The voice of Sharon den Adel(lead singer of WT)

"no one's ever going to write, "Oh, she's actually just a pretty f---in' average chick who really loves what she does." That's not gonna happen."-Kristen Stewart

Funny thing is Audi didnt transfer alot of parts they were supposed to from the DTM V8 to street cars namely suspension parts.