The desire of Volkswagen Group’s Audi to join Formula 1 is slowly taking shape. 

The four-ring brand is in fact carrying out several talks with the teams from which it emerged that they would not seem to stop at a simple supply of engines, but at the implementation of a possible change of ownership for the team in question.

There have already been talks with McLaren, which has clarified its position in this regard by categorically excluding an acquisition of ownership by Audi.

During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, CEO Zak Brown has declared to MotorLAT and other media outlets: “We did have conversations with Audi and we are not for sale.”

“Our shareholders are very committed to McLaren. Shareholders did some substantial investments to give to the team the resources we need to get back to the front” - added Brown - “Commercially we are doing really well. Morale in the team is really good. We don’t have any interest in selling the racing team.” Those comments completely closed the rumours of a possible sale of the team.

The CEO of McLaren also mentioned a $185 million deal with investor MSP Sports Capital, clarifying how this helped give the team a solid foundation for making decisions based on their own interests: “We are in a really strong position than we were 18 months ago. MSP Sports Capital came in and invested. Now it seems like a long time ago, especially given the state of play right now.”

But while the sale to Audi is already a closed chapter, Brown said the choice of engine that McLaren will use remains a totally separate argument.

“It's up to [team principal] Andreas [Seidl] to decide what power unit he wants in the back of the racing car. But any conversations around buying McLaren is a non-starter. We are McLaren F1 racing team and that’s what it will remain,” concluded the McLaren CEO.