VW considering F1 engine supply

[John S]

VW seem to be talking a lot of sense about manufacturer involvement, could be back to the good old ways of separate constructors and engine suppliers in 2012 then.

By Diego Mejia Today, Autosport.com

Volkswagen is seriously evaluating a move into Formula 1 as an engine supplier from 2012, when new power unit regulations due to be introduced could make the sport attractive enough for the German car maker to get involved.

Although F1 has been rocked by the withdrawal of three manufacturers in the last 12 months - with Honda, BMW and Toyota all quitting the sport - the Volkswagen Group believes that the sport is actually becoming more attractive with the way rules are heading.

The German car manufacturer's representative Hans-Joachim Stuck says his company would not be interested in becoming a partner with a team - as was rumoured several years ago when it was linked with a deal to buy into Red Bull Racing - but would be up for supplying engines.

However, Stuck has made it clear that the possibility to supply power units to a number of outfits, especially if there was a 'world engine', would be enough to attract Volkswagen into F1.

"If you're the world's largest manufacturer is natural that we're thinking about [Formula 1], but not before 2012," Stuck told AUTOSPORT about Volkswagen's F1 ambitions.

"We're looking for innovative things, and Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. Two years ago there was some talk that Volkswagen is going to buy the Red Bull F1 team, which we didn't need to buy. Why should we stick with one team if we can give our engines to more teams?

"If you buy Red Bull and Adrian Newey wants to go flying or fishing, the team is not successful any more. Look at BMW. They bought this multi-million dollar wind tunnel and a supercomputer and they now close the doors. Building an engine and providing it to a team is the best way."

Stuck claims Formula 1's return to expanded grids, and low-cost regulations, has put the sport firmly on Volkswagen's radar.

"Now it's amazing; Formula 1 goes the right way," said Stuck. "Many manufacturers have pulled out, which I think is a great deal, because we have manufacturers that we don't know for how long they will do it.

"They should become engine manufacturers and then lease the engine, sell the engine or give it to somebody. Then you lose all the hassle with teams, wind tunnels, engineers, you know.

"It's like Formula 1 in my days. We had March, we had Lotus, and we had Ford engines. Then Renault came in as engine manufacturer, with a formidable engine. This was perfect.

"I followed Formula 1 for the last seven years with BMW and I always asked myself on the grid, with only 20 cars, what if we could have 30 cars? Now we're getting back to this.

"We have three more teams next year, 26 cars, and by having a global engine, which is good in cost and reliable, we can have 30 cars on the grid."

[Jericoke]

The 'world/global engine' they mention, is that the idea of using the Formula One engine across multiple formulae, or every supplier building engines from a common design?  (Or both, I suppose.)

They will never completely separate engine suppliers from the constructors though.  Not while Ferrari exists.  I'd love to see McLaren move into engines, and become a genuine 'English answer to Ferrari'.  Not that I care to have an English supercar I can never own, but just to see 2 pure F1 teams in the sport. 

(I certainly have nothing against the efforts of Williams, or Red Bull or even Toyota.  I rather like the idea of different teams having different fundamental approaches to the sport.  Just for the long run, having more than one team like Ferrari would be good.)

[cosworth151]

VW has also been linked to the new IRL engine program. As currently planned, the new engine spec will go into effect for the 2011 season.