What four acquisition options does Audi have in Formula One and what may it cost?

McLaren

There have been an awful lot of talks between McLaren and Audi, but for now the plug has been pulled. Audi first wanted to completely take over McLaren, but that was unmentionable for the British. Audi then shifted the focus to only taking over the Formula 1 team.

Initially, there would be 450 million euros offered, which was resolutely rejected by McLaren. Then, in March, there would be no less than 650 million euros offered, but even that was not enough for the formation from Woking. Audi does not want to go much further than this and so they are now looking for alternatives.

The advantage of McLaren is that it is already a competitive team in Formula 1 and although the takeover should only apply from 2026, it is nice to have a lot of knowledge and skills already present. Moreover, there is a new wind tunnel on the way. According to McLaren itself, that is the last thing missing to be able to join Ferrari and Red Bull. Plenty of advantages, but there is a hefty price tag.

Aston Martin

Lawrence Stroll took over Aston Martin and with that the name of Racing Point in Formula 1 changed as well. The Canadian billionaire announced big plans for the team but since his arrival the results have only been more disappointing. This season the British team is at the bottom of the table and seems to have everything but order.

As a result, Stroll Sr. is reportedly "more than willing" to sell the team. Aston Martin is currently building a brand new mega-factory with a wind tunnel and Audi would also have access to this facility if it were to be taken over.

Taking over the team from Aston Martin will not come cheap either, as just building the new factory cost Stroll and consorts over £200 million. When Stroll's consortium saved Force India from bankruptcy in 2018, it paid around £100 million. Of course, there has also been considerable investment in the race stable in recent seasons, so this joke is also going to cost several million euros.

Alfa Romeo Racing

Alfa Romeo falls under Sauber and they are known to be open to a sale of the F1 branch. Sauber and Audi already have a history with each other, as they already worked together in the wind tunnel for the Le Mans and DTM racers after BMW sold the team in late 2009. So a renewed collaboration is certainly not out of the question. In fact, according to several reports Sauber would be in pole position.

Just a few months ago Sauber was close to being taken over by Andretti. The deal collapsed, but according to the Americans that had nothing to do with financial reasons. Especially the control aspect is important for Sauber."It essentially came down to control issues in the last phase of the negotiations," Michael Andretti told Motorsport.com late last year. Andretti would like to buy the F1 team, but not control it, and that's where things went wrong.

What a takeover would have to cost? According to Auto, Motor und Sport, Sauber owner Finn Rausing would ask for around €350 million for the takeover, plus a €250 million bank guarantee to ensure the team's future.

Williams

Not too long ago, Williams already changed hands. In August 2020, Dorilton Capital took over the team from the Williams family for about 152 million euros. It meant a financial injection for the British formation and since then there are many opportunities at the British team. This was immediately reflected in the results, as they are a lot better than in say 2019.

Dorilton Capital is and remains an investment company, so if they get the chance to get rid of the team at a hefty profit, it is plausibly stupid to think that they will not let this opportunity slip. What would have to be paid now to take over Williams is not known, but at least it seems to be less than, say, McLaren or Aston Martin.

A big advantage of Williams is that Jost Capito is at the helm. Capito was years ago the motorsports boss who led Volkswagen to four World Rally titles. Capito and Audi still maintain a good relationship and that could well move Audi towards Williams.