Formula 1
Capito: VW would not waste its time in F1 talks if it wasn’t serious
Jost Capito believes the Volkswagen Group would not waste its time attending meetings about Formula 1’s future regulations if it was not serious a possible future entry.
Luke Smith
Edited: Nov 28, 2021, 2:44 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Current Williams team principal and CEO Capito served as Volkswagen’s motorsport director between 2012 and 2016, overseeing its domination of the World Rally Championship.
The VW Group is known to be considering a potential entry to F1 under the next cycle of power unit regulations due in 2026 with either Porsche or Audi.
The bosses of both brands have been present a high-level meetings this year between F1 officials to discuss what the future regulations will look like.
Porsche vice-president of motorsport Thomas Laudenbach said earlier this month that the conditions for the German marque to enter F1 were now “coming true”, but that it cannot “wait too long” to make a final decision.
Asked how serious he believed the VW Group was about entering F1 with one of its brands in the future, Capito said: “I believe it very much depends on the regulations, and the engine regulations for ’26 are not yet out. I think it all depends on that.
“If they have been serious - they have been part of the engine regulation discussions, and I don’t think they waste their time in going to these meetings, especially also the CEO coming to those meetings, and not being serious.
“But finally, it depends on what the final regulations are if then the Volkswagen Group thinks it makes sense, they might go to the board and ask for a decision.”
Porsche logo
Photo by: James Holland
The VW Group has been linked with a potential entry as a power unit manufacturer to supply an existing team through a works project, with Red Bull - which will establish its own in-house powertrain division from next year - being mooted as a possible partner.
McLaren recently moved to deny reports it had been acquired by Audi. It is understood that tentative talks have been held about the possibility of a tie-up, but these discussions remain at a relatively early stage.
Capito said it would be “difficult” for the VW Group to establish its own team, noting that brands had previously worked with partners to oversee the operational side of projects in rally and sportscars.
“I know it’s always difficult with a known team, especially with a German team with all the union regulations, you really can’t run a race team,” Capito said.
“This is why Audi in the past went with Joest [at Le Mans], with other teams, the same as BMW, because it’s very difficult to run a factory team. It might be easier if it is abroad. I really don’t know.
“When you look at the Volkswagen Group, they had different strategies in the past. Like the rally team was a full factory team, and Porsche did full factory teams outsourced, the same as with Audi.
“I’m not involved in that kind of discussions, but I think that explains enough to take the right decision for them.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Sainz: Deeper F1 off-season conversation on Brazil Turn 4 expected
Next article Piastri knew he only stood 'very outside chance' of 2022 F1 seat
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Luke Smith
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Formula 1
Formula 1
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Formula 1
Formula 1
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Latest news
FIA reveals revised Junior WRC for 2027
WRC
WRC WRC 10 min
FIA reveals revised Junior WRC for 2027
How MotoGP teams and riders are organising themselves for their arrival in Qatar
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
25 min
How MotoGP teams and riders are organising themselves for their arrival in Qatar
Mexico Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2026
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Mexico Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2026
Ai Ogura on brush with Marco Bezzecchi: "It was my bad"
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
1 h
Ai Ogura on brush with Marco Bezzecchi: "It was my bad"
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe