It’s about the F1 petrol of the future: MotoGP stars help Audi-Sauber

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The fact that MotoGP superstar Marc Marquez (30) goes over the limit again at the Sachsenring with five crashes in one GP weekend shows one thing above all: Marquez is desperate to fight the overwhelming Ducati armada.

And that is excellent news for a certain Formula 1 team from Hinwil ZH. The Sauber racing team benefits from the strong Ducati engines in MotoGP. Or rather, he will benefit from Ducati one day.

How is that possible? It is thanks to a strong bond between the Ducati engine builders and car manufacturer Audi, which will enter Formula 1 with Sauber from 2026. Because the Ducati company has been a 100 percent subsidiary of Audi since 2012, there is cooperation in racing.

Audi helps subsidiary Ducati – and vice versa

And very specific. In both directions. Audi has been a hidden factor in the Italians’ recent success in MotoGP, with Ducati winning five of the six grands prix this season. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali says of “Bild” at the Sachsenring GP: “Cars and motorcycles are actually completely different, but we have important synergies when it comes to aerodynamics and lightweight components.”

When it comes to knowledge transfer from two-wheel to four-wheel motorsport, Sauber comes into play. Or the future partner Audi, which has long been developing the Formula 1 engine in Ingolstadt, which will power the Hinwil-based car from 2026.

It is about knowledge about environmentally friendly petrol

In MotoGP, the engines will be fueled on e-fuel from 2024, the petrol must consist of at least 40 percent non-fossil components in the first year. In Formula 1, the same steps towards environmentally friendly fuel are planned, and the tinkering for this is already underway with engine manufacturers everywhere.

Ducati boss Domenicali describes that a lot of know-how flows from Bologna to Audi and therefore to Sauber: “Both MotoGP and Formula 1 will soon be using 100 percent e-fuels. We pass on 100 percent of the knowledge we have gathered so far.”

However, the company boss doubts whether Sauber-Audi will be competitive from the start. Because Ducati also drove behind the current series of successes for years. “It takes time to be successful in a new championship. The team has to mature first.”

Source : Blick