Motoring giants Audi have announced their long-awaited entry into Formula 1, joining for the 2026 season and they expect to be ‘very competitive’.
The announcement came at the Spa Francorchamps circuit ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, with the German manufacturer revealing a stunning concept livery.
The timing of their entry coincides with new engine regulations for the 2026 season, when hybrid power units will use 100 per cent sustainable fuels and come with financial regulations, attracting giants such as Audi and Porsche.
The Volkswagen-owned outfit announced they will be joining the series as an engine supplier, but a takeover of Sauber’s Alfa Romeo branded team is expected to follow.
Audi have a rich motorsport history, winning countless titles in rally, endurance racing and touring car racing, but have never competed in F1 before.
Explaining why they’ve now decided to take the plunge, CEO Markus Duesmann said: “Racing, motorsport, is in the DNA of Audi.
“Audi has always been active and been successful in motor racing. If you think about Le Mans, Dakar, DTM, Formula E, we have always been very active and very successful and we want to continue this success story now in Formula 1.
“I think it’s perfect timing due to the new rules that are established now, for us to enter F1. And there are many aspects of F1. We have decided to become a full electric car manufacturer and F1 changed the rules in a way that we can enter with a high electric part of the powertrain, with renewable fuels, and Formula 1 have installed a cost cap that makes it very attractive for us to enter now.”
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The news could certainly upset the applecart and provide championship winning competition for Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, with engine production to begin in Neuburg, close to their Ingolstadt headquarters.
Board member Oliver Hoffmann has already set an ambitious target, saying: “I feel that [winning straight away is] not realistic – it would be ideal.
“But we certainly have a plan, internally, what we want to do, but ideally within the first three years we should be very competitive.
“Yes, it’s not a long way till 2026, we have to speed up, and I’m really happy to announce it today and then we can officially work on the powertrain. I love the challenge.”
It has been long rumoured that Audi would join F1 in partnership with fellow Volkswagen-owned brand Porsche, but the decision not to was addressed to the press.
“We raced Porsche in Le Mans with completely separate operations and in this case as well we will have completely separate operations,” Duesmann said.
“We will have our operations in Germany and if Porsche enters they will have their operations in the UK.
“We will have different teams and the powertrain has to be designed especially for the chassis.
“That’s why we decided to split it because we will have completely different chassis. And so completely different powertrains.”
Audi chief technical officer Oliver Hoffmann added: “The integration work of the electrified side of the powertrain together with the chassis, it costs time to make it in two cars.
“So, it’s completely different operations and the integration work we will do by ourselves.”
It’s expected that Porsche will enter F1 in partnership with Red Bull, producing the team’s engines from 2026, although no official announcement has yet been made despite VW greenlighting the deal earlier this year.
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