# Porsche or Audi Possible in 'More Manageable F1' Says Audi Singapore Boss



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Here's a good example of comments having legs and while we're not sure how much reality is behind this (yet), there's a lot of logic to the sentiment. Seems Audi Singapore's chief Reinhold Carl remarked a bit about F1 to the Straits Times, ruling out the idea of a Lamborghini bid in F1 because of lack of resources by Lambo. Audi and parent the Volkswagen Group have stayed away from F1 due to costs, but F1 is making strides to lower those costs and it's Carl's contention that the VW Group might then enter using the Audi or Volkswagen name and maybe even the iconic Porsche brand now that it is coming under control of the group.
*What's Our Take* 
Like most rumors that float around about the world of motorsport, logic doesn't always dictate reality. The points Carl makes make sense, but that doesn't mean they'll happen. Still, the idea of a Porsche or Audi branded F1 team is most interesting.
Up until the global financial crisis, Porsche was known to be developing an LM P1 racecar in order to return to top-tier racing at Le Mans and Roger Penske was a likely candidate to field the car in the ALMS and at Le Mans. This project was put on ice when the market went south and since then Porsche's bid to take over VW has turned into VW taking over Porsche and the resulting power shift has ousted once Wendalin Wiedeking and his Porsche-first viewpoints. Consider it now 'Porsche also' and Audi likely gets more cache as a very profitable extension of the VW Group.
If we had a say and funds were unlimited enough, we'd set the VW Group's motorsport budget upon three pillars. 
1. Keep Audi strong in sportscar racing where it can showcase new technology and engineering as a major point of the brand. Though Audi was gunning to tie Ferrari's record this year at Le Mans, Porsche's got plenty of breathing room as the all-time winningest marque in La Sarthe. If Champion Racing is out of contention as Audi Sport North America as their dealer business has had some major bankruptcy issues during the downturn, let Roger Penske step in at Audi Sport NA and do the ALMS plus Le Mans.
2. Take Porsche to F1. F1 doesn't relate as directly to roadgoing technology but is great cache for an exotic brand like Porsche and head-to-head racing with Ferrari would make for a clash of the titans. Maybe also consider a bid using the Lamborghini brand to privateers using the same hardware much like Brawn GP currently uses Mercedes hardware and keep the Porsche team a factory effort.
3. Take VW to WRC. VW's rallying with the Touareg is cool, but the WRC is more the demographic of the Golf/GTI which is more the heart of the brand.
For the record, the image above is by artist Kim Stapleton and is part of a collection of images (also linked below) that was featured here a few years ago. 
Read more about the Porsche/Audi/VW rumors on Crash.net or see more of Kim's photos after the jumps.
* Full Story - Crash.net*
* Photo Gallery - Audi F1 CGIs by Kim Stapleton *


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