WOLFSBURG, Germany — As Formula 1 reels from the loss of three participating auto manufacturers in the past 12 months, Volkswagen is considering its first venture into the world's premier form of motorsport.
VW representative Hans-Joachim Stuck told Autosport magazine the company would not be interested in becoming a partner with a team but would consider acting as an engine supplier for customer teams.
Between December 2008 and November 4 of this year, Honda, BMW and Toyota all quit the sport. All three fielded works teams representing their brands.
However, at least three new teams will join competition next season. As many as 26 or even 28 cars may be competing in 2010, compared with 20 in 2009.
Stuck confirmed that an expanded F1 grid creates opportunities for engine suppliers and that VW would be interested, but not before 2012, he asserted.
Stuck compared the expansion to the days when he was a racing driver.
"I followed Formula 1 for the last seven years with BMW, and I always asked myself on the grid, with only 20 cars, what if we could have 30 cars? Now we're getting back to this," he told Autosport.
Inside Line says: Stuck insists that auto manufacturers should concentrate on developing engines rather than fielding factory teams in racing. — David Green, Correspondent
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