VW rumoured to take over Red Bull

After a messy divorce from Renault, Red Bull were linked with Ferrari as an engine supplier for next year. But now Volkswagen has emerged as a contender to buy the four-times double world champions, as BBC F1 pundit Eddie Jordan has revealed.

It is said that Volkswagen will enter the sport in 2018 to allow the manufacturer time to develop the engine, with Ferrari supplying the team in the meantime. Red Bull will remain as a major sponsor.

One of the long-term aims of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has been to get the VW Group into Formula One, but it remains which member of the Group will take over the team. Audi are currently favourites, having been linked with entering on a number of occasions over the years. Of course, Volkswagen are already partners with Red Bull in the World Rally Championship.

Red Bull want to be a manufacturer team, which is why they opposed the potential buy out of Lotus by their current engine supplier Renault. The Ferrari deal will only be short term, as it is likely that the Italian manufacturer will not supply to highest specs to a customer team, especially not one with a chassis capable of beating them.

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