262 replies to this topic

[Tstag]

Autocar are reporting that McLaren is being sold to VW, which of course owns Audi, Porsche, Lamborgini and Bentley. I suspect McLaren may soon get Porsche as its engine supplier…

[1player]

Link: https://www.autocar....formula-1-entry

[SophieB]

Wow, big story.
 
From the Autocar story:

“Audi has bought McLaren in a deal that gives the German manufacturer complete control over the whole group and secures it an entry into Formula 1, Autocar understands.
According to a source, McLaren’s executive chairman Paul Walsh was presented with an offer from Audi and took it to the board, which is majority controlled by the Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain. It is said the board rejected the first offer, insisted Audi should double it and an agreement to conclude a deal then followed.”
 
https://www.autocar....formula-1-entry

[Baddoer]

I'm not buying it until I see it.

[Nova]

Did not see that coming.

[MrRat]

Well well well. 

[Massa_f1]

I hope this will not result in the McLaren name disappearing from F1.

[Okyo]

Really not sure how to feel about this 

[JRodrigues]

Autocar are reporting that McLaren is being sold to VW, which of course owns Audi, Porsche, Lamborgini and Bentley. I suspect McLaren may soon get Porsche as its engine supplier…

 

Bought by Audi. not VW Group. Technically, it's not the same, and that should make an entry in F1 for Audi, not Porsche.

Edited by JRodrigues, 15 November 2021 - 10:34.

[TomNokoe]

I think I am struggling to understand the magnitude of what I am reading?

[noikeee]

Cursed McLaren-Audi incoming, with Audi engines developed with the accumulated knowledge of Mercedes engines.

 

Actually we might have an Audi owned car with Mercedes engines on track next year.

Edited by noikeee, 15 November 2021 - 10:37.

[Okyo]

I think I am struggling to understand the magnitude of what I am reading?

Precisely. Absolutely not sure how to feel about this. What will become of the McLaren name in a few years if this goes through. 

 

Edited by Okyo, 15 November 2021 - 10:38.

[CSF]

Precisely. Absolutely not sure how to feel about this. What will become of the McLaren name in a few years if this goes through. 

 

 

 

Nothing most likely, I would expect it to be maintained like Lambo has been.

 

This is probably good news for McLaren, its been a basket case financially for the past few years.

[Jovanotti]

Sad to read.

[CountDooku]

NO WAY!!!!! McLaren is a British institution and my favourite team on the grid!!!     

[chrcol]

I think the strength of the Mclaren brand will see the name kept, probably Mclaren-Audi.

[TennisUK]

The rumours have long been about Audi and Porsche brands entering together - with the same engine. McLaren-Audi works a lot better than McLaren-Porsche (notwithstanding their history). I wonder what Porsche will do. Sauber would make a bit of sense, though they have ample facilities of their own to do this, so it might just be a matter of the $200m entry barrier, which is not as a big a deal to Porsche as it would be to most potential entrants, particularly as they have a lot of the necessary infrastructure in place already.

[Loosenut]

I hope they employ Ron Dennis as team principle   

[macjim]

I've lurker here for 11 years, first time I've felt the need to post.......................whooh.

 

Let's hope, it good news - only way to compete with the big boys is with manufacturing backing.

 

Better not lose the McLaren name!

[garoidb]

This is very significant if true. I am not one of those who worries about the McLaren "name" (or the Williams, Lotus, Jordan, Sauber or Brabham ones). Weren't the Lotus entered as John Player Specials at one point in the 70s? The name will always be part of history but should not just be artificially kept to placate fans if a new project is underway. How are you enjoying the championship being fought out between British American Racing and Stewart Grand Prix?

 

The big question is where they get an engine from and how their competitiveness will be affected? How soon would the Mercedes engines become unavailable to them?

[TennisUK]

This is very significant if true. I am not one of those who worries about the McLaren "name" (or the Williams, Lotus, Jordan, Sauber or Brabham ones). Weren't the Lotus entered as John Player Specials at one point in the 70s? The name will always be part of history but should not just be artificially kept to placate fans if a new project is underway. How are you enjoying the championship being fought out between British American Racing and Stewart Grand Prix?

They won't be changing the name, I'm sure of that.

[Okyo]

Nothing most likely, I would expect it to be maintained like Lambo has been.

 

This is probably good news for McLaren, its been a basket case financially for the past few years.

Naturally, they wouldn't do anything overnight or even in the next few years, but i mean, it's Audi... That's a brand and A LOT more well known than McLaren if you look past F1 heritage. I do hope McLaren name stays, but i have fears that this might be the slow beginning of the end for that name.

Time will tell.  

[CSF]

This is very significant if true. I am not one of those who worries about the McLaren "name" (or the Williams, Lotus, Jordan, Sauber or Brabham ones). Weren't the Lotus entered as John Player Specials at one point in the 70s? The name will always be part of history but should not just be artificially kept to placate fans if a new project is underway. How are you enjoying the championship being fought out between British American Racing and Stewart Grand Prix?

 

The big question is where they get an engine from and how their competitiveness will be affected? How soon would the Mercedes engines become unavailable to them?

 

 

Or even The Tyrrell Racing Organisation!

[Loosenut]

How are you enjoying the championship being fought out between British American Racing and Stewart Grand Prix?

It's Tyrrell & Stewart if you please..

[Rinehart]

Other sources suggest that there is a bidding war between Audi and BMW with some sources saying Audi want the team, BMW the roadcar division and it maybe a stake not a buyout. 

 

All kinds of possibilities including none here.

[Gareth]

Precisely. Absolutely not sure how to feel about this. What will become of the McLaren name in a few years if this goes through. 

Pressumably a big part of the price they will have paid will be from the McLaren road car division.

 

So keeping that brand in F1 will make sense for them. So hopefully the name remains.

[CountDooku]

I worry about Mclaren being owned by a group that owns Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and Rimac. Will absolutely kill the identity of the brand.

 

Would rather they were bought by BMW! 

[wj_gibson]

The strange position of an Audi-owned team running Merc engines.

[SenorSjon]

Well, since the new structure with 200m to spend towards other teams, buying a current team is way cheaper.

[cpbell]

I hope this will not result in the McLaren name disappearing from F1.

I think it has too much history to just vanish like that.

[Astandahl]

Terrible news.

[Fastcake]

I would hope it’s a small stake and McLaren remains an autonomous unit. Manufacturers come and go from F1, and it would be a crime if the team would one day disappear when Audi gets bored again.

[Loosenut]

I would hope it’s a small stake and McLaren remains an autonomous unit. Manufacturers come and go from F1, and it would be a crime if the team would one day disappear when Audi gets bored again.

Article says they bought the whole group.

[Anja]

We're really gonna have just 3 or 4 automotive conglomerates in the whole world some day, aren't we. Can't say I see this as good news. 

[Ruusperi]

First original Williams gone and then McLaren. Sad day for F1.

And still only 20 cars after that. I want new names and 26 cars. A couple of manufacturers decide to retreat and F1 is left with 14 cars.

[Frood]

I worry about Mclaren being owned by a group that owns Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and Rimac. Will absolutely kill the identity of the brand.

 

Would rather they were bought by BMW! 

If they were bought by BMW, they'll just give up and quit three years down the line. See: BMW in anything.

[JimmyClark]

Good news if it secures McLaren's future in F1. 

 

It's similar to FIAT buying Ferrari - Enzo kept the name in F1 as that's the racing brand, but the company behind changed. I fully suspect the same will happen with McLaren, albeit maybe the engines will be badged as one of the Audi companies. 

 

However, if if means them becoming a works team again, that is great. And presumably a B team will be needed too. 

[CSF]

I worry about Mclaren being owned by a group that owns Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and Rimac. Will absolutely kill the identity of the brand.

 

Would rather they were bought by BMW! 

 

 

Rover says hello.

[ToniF1]

Kinda sad, this team is to big to be sold around...

 

Ok for Williams who fall apart but not Mclaren.

[BRG]

I worry about Mclaren being owned by a group that owns Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and Rimac. Will absolutely kill the identity of the brand.

 

Would rather they were bought by BMW! 

VWAG have a record of keeping their brands separate.  BMW have a record of screwing then over.

 

Either way it is bad news even if it means the Bahrainis are out of the picture at last. 

[TennisUK]

I don't think BMW would work out well, not just because they always leave but also because fundamentally they are a much smaller company than VAG.

[wj_gibson]

If the VW Group is going into F1 on several levels then I wonder if BMW might feel compelled to do likewise and buy Sauber back, or else buy Williams off the venture capitalist firm that is always going to sell it on for the right price.

Edited by wj_gibson, 15 November 2021 - 11:21.

[Huffer]

Well...it worked for Mercedes, so why not Audi?

 

I'm not believing anything until I see an official report though. 

[Calum]

NO WAY!!!!! McLaren is a British institution and my favourite team on the grid!!!     

 

Are you being sarcastic (it's sometimes hard to pick up in writing)? A Bahrain sovereign wealth fund are already the majority owners.

 

Hardly anything 'quintessentially British' is UK-owned, beyond F1 too. 

[potmotr]

Wow, huge news. Journalist is Damien Smith, former Motorsport mag editor (and perhaps even a former Autosport editor?) so is clearly very well connected.

[sheSgoTthElooK]

This is shocking. I don't know how to feel about this one. I love both brands. It makes sense to Audi.

 

I guess, it's a promising "clash" of the titans. The team philosophy and approach are quite similar. The German and British get along well with each other - look at the Mclaren-Mercedes history.

 

Few minutes later...

 

This will be awesome! I hate the Mclaren livery anyway. Black, red and white as in 2005. Damn, that's cool. Get it on. 

Edited by sheSgoTthElooK, 15 November 2021 - 11:29.

[CountDooku]

If they were bought by BMW, they'll just give up and quit three years down the line. See: BMW in anything.

BMW have done a great job owning Rolls Royce and Mini.

[FLB]

Wow, huge news. Journalist is Damien Smith, former Motorsport mag editor (and perhaps even a former Autosport editor?) so is clearly very well connected.

And the item was just re-tweeted by Graham Goodwin, who is very close to Allan McNish (they cover the FIA WEC together on TV).

 

It's real, IMHO.

[RA2]

Strange, we hardly heard anything from the F1 media.

[Diablobb81]

A terrible day.