All motorsport enthusiasts were stoked to know that famed manufacturers Audi were planning an entry into F1.
However, there may be a huge stumbling block in the form of the deadline in front of Audi to submit its bid.
The team has now confessed that it won’t be able to meet this deadline and it could lead to a postponed entry into the sport, if at all they follow up on their initial plans.
The German car company needs to adhere to the deadline which is at the end of this month if it wishes to compete in Formula 1 2026 onwards.
Initially, they were rumoured to be interested in buying McLaren, but those rumours were later found to be false after the Woking-based outfit confirmed it had no plans to sell.
It is now believed that Audi has its eyes set on either Aston Martin or Sauber, with reports surfacing that Lawrence Stroll is open to selling Aston Martin after realising how tough things have gotten for the team in the past two years.
Sauber, meanwhile, has notably been chasing some cash flow for years now and this could also be a potential match.
An Audi spokesperson said that it is unlikely they will be able to adhere to the deadline and will rather “examine in detail” all the technical regulations set to come in place for 2026.
Audi unlikely to make 2026 cut
A “prompt decision” is unlikely as a result and it could see Audi being stopped from entering the pack in 2026.
“The regulations were passed during the summer break when Audi AG was not in session and some of the relevant decision-makers, including the board of directors, are on holiday,” the spokesperson said.
“As far as we understand it, the process for the registration of power-unit manufacturers for the 2026 season has not yet been initiated by the FIA.”
Meanwhile, Porsche, the other big team from the Volkswagen family, has been more decisive in its decision making.
Porsche has already applied for the “F1nally” trademark and will almost certainly play its role as an engine supplier to Red Bull and AlphaTauri starting from 2026.
It is also understood that the team has filed paperwork to buy shares at Red Bull and thereby earn a seat at the table for the Milton Keynes outfit.