Audi finalizes €600m full takeover of Sauber, Inside the wild 2025 silly season, and other big updates

Audi finalizes €600m full takeover of Sauber

Audi has confirmed it has fully taken over the Sauber team ahead of the 2025 F1 season. The takeover, which was planned to be a 75% acquisition, was completed as a full purchase, reportedly costing around €600 million. This follows the announcement last year that Audi sold a minority stake to Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. Along with the takeover, there are significant team changes, including the appointment of Jonathan Wheatley as team principal and the departure of Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

Click here to read the full article by Oliver Harden (planetf1.com)

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Inside the wild 2025 silly season

The 2025 Formula 1 grid shuffle began with Lewis Hamilton's surprise move to Ferrari in January, and it sparked a chaotic driver market. By December, Red Bull confirmed some changes, and Alpine signed Franco Colapinto, though Jack Doohan's future was unclear. Half of the drivers for 2025 were different from 2024. Early moves by Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris set the tone for other moves. Mercedes and Red Bull worked through uncertainty, with drivers like Kimi Antonelli and Fernando Alonso being talked about. 

Click here to read the full article by Scott Mitchell-Malm (the-race.com)

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South Africa invites bids for Grand Prix promoters

South Africa’s government is seeking promoters to host an F1 race, either starting in 2024 or 2027, with a 10-year term. This would be the country's first F1 race since 1993, and F1 wants to add a race in Africa for the 2025 season. The promoter must have experience with big events and meet F1’s requirements, including a track for 125,000 spectators. Bids are due by the end of the month, with a refundable deposit of 10 million rand.

Click here to read the full article by Keith Collantine (racefans.net)

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Would Verstappen ever consider Aston Martin?

Aston Martin has denied the $1 billion offer for Max Verstappen, but it's still possible he could leave Red Bull after 2026. Verstappen has said he won’t stay in F1 forever and is interested in other projects like endurance racing and starting his own team. He’s committed to Red Bull for now, but his future depends on how the team performs, especially with big changes coming in 2026. Aston Martin could potentially entice him if they are competitive by then, but as of now, a move seems unlikely.

Click here to read the full article at motorsport.com

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Could Hamilton and Cullen reunite at Ferrari?

There's been a lot of buzz recently about Lewis Hamilton and Angela Cullen working together this year. After Hamilton and his former physiotherapist parted ways, Cullen stayed out of the spotlight until now. People are now speculating that she could reunite with Hamilton at Ferrari. But how likely is this?