- Audi officially confirms entry into Formula 1
- Brand to enter in 2026
- Developing its own powertrain for the sport
After more than a year of speculation, Audi has officially announced it will enter Formula 1 from the 2026 season. Markus Duesmann, Audi’s chairman of the board, and Oliver Hoffmann, Audi’s board member for tech development announced the decision at the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix.
CAR originally broke the story in 2021 that Audi could move into the sport after years of Volkswagen Group officials joining meetings with the FIA regarding the sport. Audi says it will compete in Formula 1 with its own powertrain that will be developed and built in Audi Sport’s facility in Neuberg.
Audi points to the new technical rules that apply from 2026, with advance developments in electrification and sustainable fuels, as well as a cost cap on powertrain development, being the main reasons for joining now rather than earlier.
Other details are yet to be confirmed, with Audi’s UK division also mentioning that the brand will ‘announce a decision on which team they will be lining up with in 2026’ by the end of 2022. While entirely unconfirmed, it’s likely that Audi could take over the Sauber team when it arrives for its first season, given CAR originally revealed BMW’s plans to work closer with McLaren in the years to come, and Alfa Romeo released a statement (the same day as Audi’s F1 confirmation) that its partnership with Sauber will end in 2023.
‘In view of the major technological leaps that the series is making towards sustainability in 2026, we can speak of a new Formula 1,’ says Hoffman, ‘Formula 1 is transforming, and Audi wants to actively support this journey.’
‘Formula 1 is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory,’ adds Duesmann, ‘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.’
We’ll update this story when we know more.
Keyword: Audi to enter F1 in 2026