Posted on November 4, 2014.
Former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has officially joined Audi as of 1 November.
The Italian was in charge of Ferrari’s F1 activities from 2008 to 2014 when he resigned and was replaced by Marco Mattiacci.
It has been rumoured that Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, is set to join the F1 grid in 2016 as part of a plan to expand its motorsport activites. The company was also present during meetings about F1’s 2014 power units and supported the case for the current hybrid units.
A spokesperson said that Domenicali would help to develop new business areas for Audi. “Inside the Audi AG, Stefano Domenicali will be responsible for the development of new business areas in services and mobility, that are complementary to the existing activities of AUDI AG,” said the spokesman.
“With his previous professional career, he has ideal conditions to support, in his field of activity, the successful internationalisation course of the Audi AG.”
But Audi has denied it plans to enter Formula One in the short-term and has denied rumours it is in talks with Fernando Alonso about competing at the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Audi boss Wolfgang Ullrich has clarified Domenicali’s appointment and insisted there are no plans to join the F1 grid in 2016.
“There is no decision that we are going in that direction, Audi has a motorsport programme that at the moment is based on the World Endurance Championship and the DTM, and we are working on the cars for next season. There is no other programme. Yes, [Domenicali] has joined Audi, but we haven’t said yet what his job will be; no, he will not be involved in motorsport.”
