It had barely become the owner of the Swiss team Sauber when the German manufacturer Audi opened its capital to Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, the well-known Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). The latter acquired 30% of the capital of the team, for an amount estimated at 360 million euros. This agreement is much broader and would include a deal estimated in its entirety at one billion euros.
Economically, the year 2024 is catastrophic for the German premium brand. The Chinese market is collapsing, sales of its electric vehicles are at a standstill, after having invested a total of 800 million euros in its F1 program (650 million euros in the purchase of the Swiss team, Sauber and 150 million in its 2026 engine program), the time has come to introduce a secondary partner into the project. Out of necessity?
A contract aimed at increasing the budget of the F1 team
The contract signed with QIA allows an option to increase up to 60% of the capital by 2030. The agreement opens with sponsorship for 5 years given at 500 million euros overall. Or 100 million euros in commercial partnerships per season for the team, from 2025. This will make it possible to target a budget of more than 350 million euros next year, according to estimates.
There is a lot of talk about the visibility of Qatar Airways on German single-seaters next season, but a Qatar Foundation type model (as already seen at FC Barcelona a decade ago), would be to favor only the 2025 season. Because the Next year, the team will again be named Stake Sauber. The Audi F1 brand will be officially introduced in 2026, with new engine and chassis regulations.
But also an oil contract
The other part of the agreement with QIA concerns the development of e-fuel. Already a partner of the oil company British Petroleum (BP), Audi also benefits from Porsche's work in the field of e-fuel. In 2026, F1 engines will be powered only with this type of energy, BP's delay would be obvious. A complementary and motivated partner was needed to invest in this area. To do this, 200 million euros will initially be injected into the research and development of F1 E-fuel.
This investment of one billion is also a response to Saudi Arabia, which with its investments in the Aston Martin team (and the automobile brand), via the oil company Aramco and the mining company Maaden, is already present to the tune of 85 million euros in the budget of the English team. And more for 2026. Qatar's investment with Audi is a response to its best enemy on the economic scene.
