After long months of discussion, of rumors and various ideas, finally came the official announcement. Audi chose to enter from 2026 in Formula One and it will do it in a rather particular way. Audi announced its entry at a press conference at the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. At the event, Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, and Oliver Hoffmann, Board Member for Technical Development, answered questions in the company of Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali and Mohammed ben Sulayem , president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Audi-Saber, it's (almost) done
Audi said it has not yet decided on its partners but will announce the decision on which team."It will accompany you in 2026 by the end of this year“. Although there is no official announcement yet, according to the rumors, Audi will enter 2026, through a collaboration with Sauber. This agreement should allow Sauber to continue to deal with the chassis, also considering the more than modern wind tunnel, while Audi will work on the Power Units, a bit like it did Porsche which (but without buying) will supply the new PUs to the RedBull. After many months of negotiation therefore, the two houses of the Volkswagen group have succeeded in their intent to land in the Circus in four years.
The chosen location for PU development
Audi Sport's facility in Neuburg will be where the powerplant will be developed, the first time in more than a decade that the F1 powerplant will be built in Germany. They are currently working to have staff, buildings and technical infrastructure in place by the end of the year. They will then have three years to fine-tune the PU before entering F1.
“For the development and production of the Formula 1 power unit, we will draw on the invaluable experience of our employees in the motorsport sector, continue to invest in our motorsport center and will also hire highly specialized professionals”says Julius Seebach, chief executive of Audi Sport, which has arranged to enter Formula 1 as part of Audi's realignment of motorsport.
The statements
Following this announcement, there was no shortage of statements of the president and CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali and those of the chairman of the board of AUDI AG Markus Duesmann.
“I am delighted to welcome Audi to Formula 1, an iconic automotive brand, pioneer and technological innovator“said Stefano Domenicali, who worked for Volkswagen for a period starting in 2014. “This is an important moment for our sport that highlights the tremendous strength we have as a global platform that continues to grow.
“It is also a great recognition that our move to sustainably powered hybrid engines in 2026 is a future solution for the automotive sector. We look forward to seeing the Audi logo on the grille and will hear more details from them on their plans in due course."
"Motorsport is an integral part of Audi's DNA“said Duesmann. “Formula 1 is both a global stage for our brand and a highly demanding development laboratory. The combination of high performance and competition is always an engine of innovation and technology transfer in our industry. With the new rules, now is the right time to get involved. After all, both Formula 1 and Audi have clear sustainability goals."
Source: Audi Media Center
