Formula 1®
The Audi Revolut F1® Team’s first season
Germany
Development of the Audi Power Unit
Switzerland
Development of the chassis
Audi F1® Power made in Germany
This is the first time in more than a decade that a Formula 1® powertrain has been developed and built in Germany. Formula 1® is globally recognized, highly emotional and technologically advanced. The championship’s popularity is huge as one of the sporting events with the highest reach. The Formula 1® races take place all over the world, including regions and markets that are particularly important to Audi. After using various electrified powertrain concepts in previous motorsport projects such as Le Mans, Formula E and the Dakar Rally, Formula 1® was the next logical step for Audi to demonstrate its brand slogan of “Vorsprung durch Technik” on racetracks worldwide.
New regulations
2026 sees the introduction of new regulations in Formula 1® with the aim of making the championship more sustainable and cost-efficient. Greater electrification and more sustainable fuels are part of the new technical regulations. The electric motors are nearly as powerful as the combustion engines, which have about 400 kW (544 hp). The increased output from the electric motors means that more energy can be recovered through recuperation. The combustion engines are highly efficient 1.6-liter turbocharged engines that run on sustainable fuels. The existing cost cap governing Formula 1® teams has also been a factor for power unit manufacturers since 2023.
Neuburg facility
The state-of-the-art Audi Competence Center Motorsport in Neuburg an der Donau is the home of Audi Formula Racing GmbH, which is responsible for the development of the Audi Power Unit. The facility, which already had all the technical infrastructure in place to begin the development in 2022, was expanded for the Formula 1® project. The premises first opened in 2014 now boasts a new building measuring around 3,000 square meters with new test benches, technical rooms and workstations. The entire Audi Power Unit has been developed and built in Neuburg. The F1® powertrain consists of an energy recovery system with an electric motor, battery and control unit, as well as a highly efficient combustion engine and gearbox.
Hinwil facility
The race car has been developed in close collaboration with Audi Formula Racing GmbH at the Hinwil factory in Switzerland, located around 30 kilometers from Zurich. The race operations in Formula 1® are also handled there from 2026 onwards. The Swiss Sauber team competed in the FIA Formula 1® World Championship from 1992 to 2025 and brings the valuable wealth of experience from more than 30 years in the pinnacle of motorsport to the Audi Revolut F1® Team. In October 2022, Audi confirmed the Sauber racing team as a strategic partner for the F1® project and a minority stake was announced at the beginning of 2023. In March 2024, the company went one step further: for its entry into Formula 1®, Audi acquired the Sauber Group in Switzerland in its entirety at the beginning of 2025, thereby creating the conditions to bring Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund on board as an investor.
Bicester facility
A third location, the Audi Motorsport Technology Centre UK in Bicester, England, opened in July 2025. With its presence in the so-called “Motorsport Valley”, the project benefits from the F1® expertise in the Silverstone area. The location gives the team access to the world’s largest pool of motorsport know-how and talent. The technology center is based in Bicester Motion, a 179-hectare industrial park that is home to numerous companies from the automotive and aviation industries. The British association, Motorsport UK, is also based there.
Design philosophy
The visual identity of the Audi Revolut F1® Team follows the four design principles of the company’s new, unified design philosophy: clear, technical, intelligent and emotional.
Combination of experience and youth
The driver pairing for the Audi Revolut F1® Team in Formula 1® for the 2026 season was decided early on: with seasoned racing driver Nico Hülkenberg and young talent Gabriel Bortoleto, the team is relying on a combination of experience and youth that already worked well together at Sauber in 2025.
Nico Hülkenberg
Nico Hülkenberg signed a multi-year contract with Sauber in April 2024 and starts for the Audi Revolut F1® Team in 2026. With over 250 Grand Prix races in his career, Nico Hülkenberg is one of the most experienced drivers in Formula 1®.
Gabriel Bortoleto
In Gabriel Bortoleto, one of the most promising talents for the future is representing the four rings in the pinnacle of motorsport. Bortoleto won both the FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2 Championships in consecutive years in his first season in each series – a feat that only three other drivers have achieved before him.
Key personnel
Mattia Binotto
As Head of the Audi F1® Project, Mattia Binotto is responsible for the overall development at the Hinwil and Neuburg an der Donau facilities, as well as at the Audi Motorsport Technology Centre UK in Bicester, England.
Jonathan Wheatley
Jonathan Wheatley is the Team Principal of the Audi Revolut F1® Team and Management Board Spokesperson at Audi Motorsport AG. His focus is on managing the race operations of the Audi Revolut F1® Team and representing Audi at the team principal level in the Formula 1® strategic forums.
Gernot Döllner
Gernot Döllner is the Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG. In addition, Döllner is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Audi Motorsport AG. Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley report directly to Gernot Döllner.
Jürgen Rittersberger
Jürgen Rittersberger is a member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG and is responsible for Finance, Legal Affairs and IT. He also chairs the shareholder meetings of Audi Formula Racing GmbH and is a member of the Board of Directors of Audi Motorsport AG.
Gallery
