Volkswagen set to enter F1 as engine supplier

While most carmakers are stampeding for the exits of Formula 1, the motorsport could see Volkswagen become an engine supplier within two years. Former F1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck, who works for the German company's motorsport wing, told Autosport.com that VW wouldn't be interested in buying into a team, such as its compatriot company Mercedes did last week with Brawn GP, but would instead hope to be providing the technical know-how to whoever was willing to pay.

"If you're the world's largest manufacturer it is natural that we're thinking about [Formula 1], but not before 2012," Stuck told the website. "We're looking for innovative things, and Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. Two years ago there was some talk that Volkswagen is going to buy the Red Bull F1 team, which we didn't need to buy. Why should we stick with one team if we can give our engines to more teams?"

Stuck, who raced during the 1970s for the March, Brabham, Shadow and ATS teams, continued: "If you buy Red Bull and Adrian Newey wants to go flying or fishing, the team is not successful any more. Look at BMW. They bought this multi-million dollar wind tunnel and a supercomputer and they now close the doors. Building an engine and providing it to a team is the best way."

With Formula 1 making huge efforts to cut the entry costs for new teams, in a bid to deflect criticism about the predictability that set in during such eras as Michael Schumacher's five consecutive world championships with Ferrari, Stuck sees a bright future for smaller teams. "Now it's amazing; Formula 1 goes the right way. Many manufacturers have pulled out, which I think is a great deal, because we have manufacturers that we don't know for how long they will do it.

"They should become engine manufacturers and then lease the engine, sell the engine or give it to somebody. Then you lose all the hassle with teams, wind tunnels, engineers, you know," he said. "It's like Formula 1 in my days. We had March, we had Lotus, and we had Ford engines. Then Renault came in as engine manufacturer, with a formidable engine. This was perfect."

Volkswagen have been successful in other motorsports in recent years, providing engines to winning teams in Formula 3 (above) and also for cars that scooped the 24-hour Le Mans race and the Paris-Dakar.