Hakkinen: Audi entry 'significant and fantastic' for Formula 1

Two-time F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen hailed Audi's entry into the sport as a "significant" moment for Grand Prix racing.

Audi confirmed its commitment to Formula 1 ahead of last week's Belgian Grand Prix, registering itself with the FIA as an engine manufacturer before announcing a partnership with a team - which will likely to be Sauber - before the end of the season.

"Formula 1 is getting stronger and stronger and Audi’s decision to join the World Championship in 2026 is a really significant moment," commented Hakkinen in his post-race column for Unibet.

"Although they have only announced an engine programme to start with, I understand they plan to partner with, or buy, a team, placing Audi in direct competition with the Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

"It’s going to be fantastic to see."

Audi's vast expertise and successful history and track record in motorsport undoubtedly provides the Ingolstadt firm with a solid foundation on which to build its Formula 1 endeavor from 2026, its future point of entry.

But Hakkinen says all credit goes to Formula 1 for boosting its platform in recent years, both in terms of attracting a new audience and improving the show on the track thanks to better regulations.

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However, the former McLaren driver believes that F1's compelling efforts to steer the sport towards a more sustainable future were also crucial in deciding Audi to join the fray.

"I see this as a result of the great work Formula 1 has done in recent years, growing the popularity of the sport through series like Drive to Survive on Netflix, the growth of social media and work which has been done to improve the competition," added the Finn.

"The 2026 engine regulations are also attractive because the engines will have almost half their power from electric energy and we will see fossil fuels replaced by green, sustainable fuel.

"Clearly this is attractive to a large car manufacturer like Audi, a brilliant piece of work by F1 and the FIA."

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