Carlos Sainz Jr, a driver for Ferrari, participated in the Formula 1 World Championship’s Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2, 2023. Eddie Jordan, a former Formula 1 team owner, believes that Audi will face significant challenges in becoming competitive in the sport. He also cautioned Sainz against placing his bets on the project. Sainz had hoped to extend his stay with Ferrari, but the team recently announced that Lewis Hamilton will join Charles Leclerc as his partner starting next season. Even before this announcement, there were rumors linking Sainz to the Sauber team, which will transition into a works Audi entry in 2026. Audi plans to take over the Hinwil-based squad and develop its own power unit in time for the upcoming technical regulations overhaul in F1. However, Jordan, speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, highlighted the difficulties that previous manufacturers have faced, serving as a warning to Sainz regarding his future decisions. He cited examples such as Toyota and BMW, both of which struggled in their Formula 1 endeavors despite their resources and expertise. Jordan believes that Audi will face a similar uphill battle, even with their success in other motorsport disciplines like Le Mans. He emphasized that it will likely take at least five years for Audi to come close to winning a race in Formula 1, regardless of the driver they have. Jordan acknowledged the intelligence and capabilities of Allan McNish, a close friend of co-host David Coulthard on the podcast, but maintained that the challenges ahead for Audi are significant, despite their financial strength.
Jordan also emphasized how it took Red Bull, the dominant force in the sport today, five years from the Austrian company’s acquisition of Jaguar in 2004 to start winning races.
“Red Bull, we must remember, had individuals like yourself to assist them,” Jordan continued while addressing Coulthard, who concluded his F1 career with Red Bull in 2008.
“They took over, so to speak, the essence or the beginnings or the foundation of Jaguar, which was not a weak team, they were a formidable team.
“Therefore, even with them taking five years, and you are aware of the amount of money that Dietrich Mateschitz invested in that program – and he recruited the best personnel.
“If you are suggesting that Audi can enter and defeat McLaren and even Aston Martin, or Ferrari for that matter? Or any other team? It will be an arduous task.
“Look, it is not an easy feat. I believe only six teams in the past 30 years have achieved multiple Grand Prix victories, so that really puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?
“It provides a significant advantage to teams like Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren. Williams must make a comeback and who knows? They probably will.
“But even when Prost arrived with Peugeot initially and later with Renault. I simply think new teams attempting to compete against established teams face a difficult challenge.”
According to the Source motorsportweek.com