"I understand that's a bit delayed": Peter Windsor claims Audi's takeover of Sauber has been delayed

F1 pundit Peter Windsor reports that Audi's takeover of Sauber has been slightly delayed. This is mainly because the German giants have yet to buy another 25% stake in the team, which was planned for 2024.

Speaking on his own YouTube channel, Windsor initially spoke about which driver could join Sauber in the future. He further mentioned that the German giants currently have a 25% stake in Sauber and are planning to purchase another 25%.

According to Windsor, Audi are yet to buy the second stake, which could make their move into Formula 1 a bit delayed. In the end, he raised questions as to how the entire deal would actually go down in 2026.

"I have heard that Audi currently owns 25% of Sauber and I think that their next payment of share purchasing was 25% to take them over the 50% mark. I understand that's a bit delayed and there may be some people thinking, 'I wonder if this deal is gonna be exactly what it was gonna be.'"

Audi announced it would enter the sport in 2026 as a works team by acquiring Sauber. In January of 2023, the German company acquired a 25% stake in the Swiss team, and planned to acquire another 25% in 2024 and then 2025 before finally entering the sport in 2026.

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F1 journalist feels Audi could challenge top F1 teams after German giants win 2024 Dakar Rally

F1 journalist Rachit Thukral recently made a bold claim that Audi could challenge the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari once it enters F1 in 2026.

In an opinion piece for Autosport, he pointed towards the German company's Dakar Rally success in 2024 and how their overall performance in motorsport could reflect in the top single-seater series as well. Thukral wrote:

"While it is only natural to question if a big corporation like Audi can adapt to the fast-paced world of grand prix racing, one only needs to look at the way it has turned around its Dakar Rally programme as proof that it can end the triopoly of Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari."

The four-ring team won the Dakar Rally in the car category last month. Their car was driven by Carlos Sainz Sr., father of Ferrari F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr.