Former Audi driver critiques their F1 project: "They will lose the name"

Robin Frijns successfully drove for Audi in several championships around the world. The former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner left the German team last month. He suggests that Audi's decision to join Formula 1 could damage their reputation and name within motorsport. In an exclusive interview with GPblog, Frijns discussed Audi's F1 future, Formula E and his own popularity within The Netherlands.

The big smile returned, if only for a moment. Team members patted each other on the back. It was joyous. An ABT CUPRA, powered by Mahindra, which, in the hands of Robin Frijns, took pole for the second E-Prix in Berlin. On paper, it was an impossible task. Completely unrealistic. But even in Formula E, rain makes everyone equal. Then it comes down to the driver's skill. That's when Frijns can show his talent.

Lost battle

A few days later, the Dutchman is already back to reality. In an exclusive interview with GPblog, the Dutchman repeats the question: "In heaven? It was something special, though. Yes, okay, but I knew I had no chance in the race." Indeed, that proved to be the case. Later in the day, when the track had completely dried up, Frijns saw the competition rush past him one by one. As he has been fighting an upfront losing battle all season with ABT CUPRA.

"I really didn't expect it to be that bad," says Frijns. "Even in the Valencia test, it wasn't that bad. In the race, we come up very short. You don't understand how the difference can be so big? Neither do I. It's really dramatic, and it's not getting better this year, either. Yes indeed, I expected to be higher. I knew the team was under construction, but it's not down to ABT. It's down to Mahindra. The team ABT itself can't do anything. It's really down to the engine we have in the back, the software, the efficiency of Mahindra itself. They are so slow. And if you're slow in Formula E, that's not good."

Le Mans makes or breaks the season

The next E-Prix is next weekend in Monaco. No cars have been driven, but the outcome already seems decided. "If you finish tenth or ninth there, they hang out the flag. Here, they are disappointed if you are not on the podium," Frijns says. Frijns means Team WRT, with whom he is competing for the title in the LMP2 class of the World Endurance Championship.

The races in Sebring, Portimão and Spa have already been completed, with varying degrees of success. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is coming up; the most important event of the year makes or breaks the season for the Belgian team. "At Le Mans you earn double points. Of course it's nice if you win at Spa, or come second or third. In the end, it doesn't matter at all. If you win Le Mans, you are right back on top [in the championship standings]."

'Not media-minded'

Frijns knows what it is like to win the historic 24 hours in the French city. He did it in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic and with hardly any people in the stands. "That was really different. Of course, it's not that it's not worth anything. Not at all. It was the first time for me at Le Mans. So I didn't know what to imagine at Le Mans. It's a separate race. Last year it was packed, then you see that it really lives there."

In many other sports, winning a big event like Le Mans means a nomination for Sportsman of the Year. Or at least such an achievement generates a lot of media attention. Not so in the Netherlands. When it comes to motorsport, the Netherlands is all about Max Verstappen and, to a slightly lesser extent, Nyck de Vries. Frijns seems to get even less coverage. "That is not down to me," he tells himself. Nor does Frijns find it frustrating. "I am not that media-minded. Max has a whole media team behind him, Nyck de Vries has a whole team. I'm actually a fairly normal guy, who when there is no race, just enjoys sitting on the terrace in Maastricht."

"For me, it doesn't matter if I have 30 followers on Instagram, or a million. Many people who are not very knowledgeable about it obviously think that the more followers you have, the better you will be as a driver. I know about myself what I can and cannot do. That's why I say, 'I'm no worse than Nyck or Max'."

'Another headline or something'

Plenty of drivers appear as analysts on Formula 1 talk shows. "Oh no, I'm not for that," Frijns responds. "I get asked regularly, but it's a 2.5-hour drive for me [to the TV studio]. I'm happy when I have a weekend at home. I've said 'no' many times, but they keep asking. Which is nice, of course, but it's not like I think, 'I have to go there.' I have a girlfriend sitting at home, I also have my own business. I'm busy enough. Of course once in a while it's nice to sit by TV, and comment. I never ask for it. Though I do plan to sit there maybe twice this year, though. Then it has to fit for me. I'm not going to rearrange the schedule for anyone else."

Frijns seems to be an exception. For many (former) drivers, presence at a talk show table is a form of recognition. "I have nothing to do with it. I can really enjoy it when I'm sitting on a terrace in Maastricht, and nobody addresses me. I wouldn't want to live Max's life. People can address me, I really don't care. I know Max really can't do that [moving around anonymously]. Nyck can cope with it pretty well. I get on really well with Nyck, you know! He's also very relatable. I don't. I have a different head or something. I don't know. "

Disagreeing with direction

That Frijns is an independent spirit is proven by his self-selected departure recently as Audi's factory driver. For years, he was a showcase for the German team in several championships. "I had very good times there, especially in DTM, with Class 1 Touring cars at the time. But the choices they've made, financially and with Formula 1 [in which Audi will be active from '26), and stopping with everything else; I just don't agree."

"Other people have come on board higher up, who I didn't get on well with. Who had a different philosophy for motorsport. As a result, a lot of people left, like René (Rast), Nico (Muller). A lot more, actually. I looked at it last year. They really tried to keep me. But I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore'."

Frijns doubts whether Formula 1 and the Audi brand is the right combination. "Also how they do it, I don't agree with that. I do think they will have to suffer, when they enter Formula 1. They will lose the name. What they have built up over all these years, they lose within a year. I don't think it suits them, no. But yes, the new boss wants to do Formula 1."