Audi CEO Gernot Döllner on targets, drivers, V8 engines and the German Grand Prix

Second press conference with Gernot Döllner as part of a Formula 1 Grand Prix. It was in Monte Carlo that the Audi CEO had spoken for the first time about the current state of affairs regarding the F1 project.

At the time, the Lower Saxony native said: “All in all, we are very satisfied with our current position. We are impressed by the performance of the car as a whole and also by the fact that we are competing in the midfield. Our aim for the first year is to be in the middle of the midfield. We have a five-year plan running until 2030, and we’re on track with that in our first season.”

Mr Döllner, you gave an initial assessment of the Formula 1 programme in Monaco at the start of June. It’s now September and we’re in Madrid. What has changed since then? We’re still on the right track; I’m very pleased with how the team is developing. We’d set ourselves a clear goal, and we’re currently achieving exactly what we’d set out to do – namely, steady progress. When building a new team, the first step is to establish a foothold in Formula 1.

Last June you said: ‘We’d prefer to stick to a 50:50 ratio between internal combustion and electric power.’ That’s not going to happen. What does that mean for your learning process? Technologically, we’re capable of going down whichever path is discussed and developing accordingly. After all, we’ve already proven that we’re capable of building a solid power unit from scratch. The FIA’s measurements have shown that too. Of course, we make no secret of the fact that we need to make up ground in this area.

What steps have you set out to take for the 2027 power unit? We’ve said: for the first two years, we want to be challengers and we’ve got a lot to learn. We want to work our way up the field. We want to ensure the upward trajectory is on the right track and that we can see we’re moving in the right direction. We want to move up the rankings in the Constructors’ Championship. By 2028, we want to be in contention for podium places, and from 2030 onwards, we want to be in the running for the world title – that’s the plan.

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Many a Grand Prix fan is asking: what do Volkswagen’s cost-cutting plans mean for Audi’s Formula 1 programme? We have prepared very thoroughly for Formula 1 and have set up the project with solid funding and a partner. Our business plan will break even before the end of this decade. We are sticking to our plan and see no reason to change it. We’re seeing a lot of interest from other potential partners, but we’ll always retain control of the team. You can run Formula 1 with a democratic management style, but then you’ll never be quick enough. Our partners must trust us to run the team on our own.

We need to be lean and agile. And there are certainly parallels with the production car series. Our new sports car, the Nuvolari, was also developed by a small team that enjoyed extreme freedom in its development. It was only on certain strategic and financial points that decisions were repeatedly coordinated with senior management. F1 CEO Mattia Binotto and Sporting Director Allan McNish know exactly how to proceed. They must be able to do this on their own.

I’ve also seen it done differently – where motorsport teams had to explain to the board on the Monday after a race what had happened on Sunday. That’s a complete waste of time. It doesn’t fit with my understanding of leadership.

What is Audi’s view on the way ADUO is being implemented? ADUO has delivered what we expected; it is in line with our calculations, and we are working towards the 2027 season on that basis.

Are FIA President Ben Sulayem’s plans to race with naturally aspirated V8 engines from 2030 a red rag to Audi? No , I wouldn’t go that far. We’re engaged in constructive dialogue with the FIA and the other engine manufacturers; there are various ideas on the table, and ultimately a sensible proposal will emerge. The fuel will remain sustainable – that’s important to us. That would be a red line for us, but it’s not up for discussion. The emotional aspect – that is, how audible the engines are – naturally plays a role too. We’re well aware of that.

How satisfied are you with the visual identity of the Formula 1 team? Are there any changes on the horizon? No , there’ll be no need to get used to anything new. We’ll naturally continue to evolve. Our identity in Grand Prix racing goes back to Massimo Frascella, our Head of Creative, who is also behind the Nuvolari concept. We’ll continue to pursue a style characterised by great clarity in terms of colour and design.

How important is it to have a German driver like Nico Hülkenberg? It’s a stroke of luck that we have someone as experienced as Nico, who also happens to be German. Of course, globally this doesn’t play such a significant role, but within the company itself it’s very important. We can also see this in the symbolic impact our involvement in Formula 1 has on our German Audi customers and at the Audi plants. It’s striking how many staff members wear team merchandise there; there’s a strong sense of identification, and clearly it helps to have a German driver. But at the end of the day, a driver must be the right fit for us, and we will always base our decisions on performance and the driver market. I’ve said it a few times already – we’re extremely happy with Hülkenberg and Bortoleto, who are both pulling in the same direction for the benefit of Audi’s Formula 1 team.

You’ve got one German driver, but we don’t have a German Grand Prix. I’d very much like to see Formula 1 return to Germany one day. That would be a powerful sign of a new beginning. To see such a global platform back in Germany and to showcase what our country is capable of – that would be truly wonderful. As a manufacturer, we can make our contribution by fielding teams, but others will need to step in to organise such an event. We have no plans to provide financial backing. Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius put it very well: ‘As teams, we’re the actors; others must build the theatre.’

But we’re here at the IFEMA exhibition centre in Madrid, and just this morning I was discussing how this might work in Germany. Clearly, if the German Grand Prix were to return, the existing circuits would be the main focus, but for me it would certainly be worth considering a solution like the one here in Madrid.