Audi F1: official sale of shares to Qatar fund. Audi confirms the entry of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund into the shareholder structure of its F1 team.

The confirmation of Qatar’s sovereign fund joining Audi’s F1 team ownership ends weeks of speculation. The announcement was made today during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, with several members of Audi’s board of directors and CEO Gernot Döllner present in the Losail paddock.

The acquisition will be completed in the first quarter of 2025, following Audi’s full takeover of the team previously owned by Finn Rausing. “We have signed a contract with Qatar Investment Authority,” confirmed Döllner. “They will acquire a minority stake in Sauber starting next year, after we complete our full acquisition. At the latest, everything will be finalized by the second quarter, and from then on, they will join us as investors.”

While the exact stake acquired by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) was not disclosed, the press release described it as a “significant minority stake.” Sources suggest it will likely amount to 30%, though some insiders claim the final percentage may reach 49%. This sale is critical for Audi during a challenging time for the automotive sector, with the VW Group planning to close three factories in Germany, resulting in thousands of layoffs.

The value of F1 teams now exceeds $1 billion, with top teams estimated to be worth over $2.5 billion. Audi’s move will secure the F1 team fresh funding of at least half a billion euros, enabling continued restructuring efforts without impacting the parent company’s finances.

The sale of a stake in the team aligns with a broader trend seen across several F1 teams. For Audi, it sends a reassuring message to its board of directors, protecting the program from potentially unfavorable financial decisions during a turbulent period. An economically independent program should safeguard against abrupt halts like those experienced in F1 during the financial crisis of 2009-2010. However, Audi’s CEO emphasized that the decision to bring QIA on board was not directly linked to financial difficulties. “We decided to seek a partner, as many other teams have already done,” he said. “Our goal is to build a very competitive team, so this decision is not related to financial challenges.”