“Sustainability is key” to Audi’s F1 entry
● German firm joining in 2026 ● Likely to team-up with Sauber
AUDI has announced it will compete in Formula One from 2026 – the same year new engine regulations come into force. After years of speculation surrounding it joining the series, Audi has highlighted F1’s plans to become more sustainable and cost-efficient as key reasons behind its decision.
At a press conference at the Belgian Grand Prix, Audi CEO Markus Duesmann said: “Motorsport is an integral part of Audi’s DNA. Formula One is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory. The combination of high performance and competition is always a driver of innovation and technology transfer in our industry. With the new rules, now is the right time for us to get involved. After all, Formula One and Audi both pursue clear sustainability goals.”
The 2026 season will move to a new set of technical regulations, including manufacturers agreeing to abandon the complex motor-generator unit from the turbocharged V6 hybrid powertrains used in F1 since 2014. New suppliers, such as Audi, will receive extra testing time and larger spending allowances. Before then, power unit manufacturers will also be hit with a development cost cap from 2023.
Audi will develop its own engine near to its Ingolstadt headquarters. It will be overseen by Audi’s new F1 CEO, Adam Baker, who has served as the FIA’s Safety Director in the past. The brand’s new power unit will be the first F1 powertrain built in Germany for over a decade.
“For the development and manufacture of the Formula One powertrain, we will build on the valuable expertise of our motorsport employees, continue to invest in our motorsports centre, and also recruit highly specialised professionals,” said Audi Sport Managing Director Julius Seebach, who will be succeeded by Rolf Michl in September.
F1 powertrains will undergo a hefty overhaul from 2026, with an increase in power output from the new units’ electrical side. Audi says it’s possible the electric motor will produce as much power as the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine. The combustion-engine element will also be required to run on sustainable fuel – a prerequisite, Audi says, for its entry into the sport.
Audi has also referenced the broadening audience base F1 is enjoying. It said in a statement, “In 2021, more than 1.5 billion TV viewers watched the races. Formula One is popular in key markets such as China and the USA, and the trend continues to rise – even among young target groups.”
As for which team Audi will be supplying engines to, it’s thought that the firm could buy a majority stake in
“Motorsport is an integral part of Audi’s DNA. With the new rules, now is the right time to get involved. F1 and Audi both pursue sustainability goals”
Markus Duesmann Audi CEO
Sauber. The squad currently uses Alfa Romeo-badged Ferrari engines, but if Audi takes over it will acquire naming rights to the team in the process.
In a further development, Alfa Romeo released a statement shortly after Audi’s announcement saying its partnership with Sauber will end before 2024.
Formula One president Stefano Domenicali spoke about Audi’s future plans. “This is a major moment for our sport that highlights the huge strength we have as a global platform that continues to grow.”
Audi’s entry may not be the only VW Group F1 commitment we’ll see this decade. The confirmation of the 2026 regulations means Porsche could also join. The Stuttgart firm has been widely tipped to re-enter the sport as an engine manufacturer, possibly in partnership with Red Bull. The last time Porsche competed in Formula One was as an engine supplier to the Footwork Arrows team in 1991.