Formula 1®

Audi is preparing to enter the premier class of motorsport in 2026: Formula 1®. The preparation for entering the FIA Formula One World Championship is already well underway. The future Audi F1 factory team will be based at three locations: Audi Formula Racing GmbH, which was founded specifically for the project, is developing the power unit in Neuburg an der Donau. Hinwil in Switzerland will be home to the development of the racing car as well as the planning and operating of the races. In addition, the Technology Office in Bicester provides a foothold in the heart of “Motorsport Valley”, offering direct access to top F1 talent and key strategic partners.

Debut Formula 1 season

2026

The Audi F1 factory team’s first season

Powertrain

Neuburg

Germany

Development of the Audi Power Unit

Race car

Hinwil

Switzerland

Development of the chassis

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Audi F1 Power made in Germany

This is the first time in more than a decade that a Formula 1® powertrain is being 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® is the next logical step for Audi to demonstrate its brand slogan of “Vorsprung durch Technik” on racetracks worldwide.

New regulations

2026 will see 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 will be nearly as powerful as the combustion engines, which will 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 is being 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.

A picture showing the facility in Neuburg an der Donau in Germany.

Hinwil facility

The race cars are being 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® will also be handled there from 2026 onwards. The Swiss team has been competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship since 1992 and brings the valuable wealth of experience from more than 30 years in the pinnacle of motorsport to the Audi F1 Project. 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 this year, thereby creating the conditions to bring Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund on board as an investor.

A picture showing the facility in Hinwil in Switzerland.

Bicester facility

A third location, a Technology Office 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 Office 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.

A picture showing the facility in Bicester in England.

Design philosophy

The visual identity of the future Audi F1 team follows the four design principles of the company’s new, unified design philosophy: clear, technical, intelligent and emotional.

The Audi R26 Concept presented in Munich in November provides a very distinct preview of the color scheme and design of the brand’s first Formula 1® race car which will be unveiled in January 2026.

Combination of experience and youth

The driver pairing for the Audi entry into Formula 1® for the 2026 season was decided early on: with seasoned racing driver Nico Hülkenberg and young talent Gabriel Bortoleto, the company 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 will start for the Audi F1 factory team in 2026. With around 250 Grand Prix races in his career, Nico Hülkenberg is one of the most experienced drivers in Formula 1®. He is driving for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber during 2025 and accompanying the transformation to the factory team.

Gabriel Bortoleto

In Gabriel Bortoleto, one of the most promising talents for the future will represent 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. He is racing alongside Nico Hülkenberg for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber during 2025, which will transform into the Audi F1 factory team in 2026.

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 Technology Office in Bicester, England.

Jonathan Wheatley

Jonathan Wheatley is the Team Principal and Management Board Spokesperson at Sauber Motorsport AG. In close collaboration with Mattia Binotto, Wheatley is accompanying and shaping the transformation of the racing team. His focus is on managing the race operations of the future Audi 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 Sauber 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 Sauber Motorsport AG.

Top partners of the future Audi F1 Team

Revolut

Revolut is the title partner of the future Audi factory team in Formula 1®. The partnership unites two premium brands with a shared ambition to challenge convention and drive consistent innovation – both in motorsport and in global finance. The common goal of the partnership is to establish new ways for fans to interact with the sport during race weekends. Additionally, Revolut Business will be extensively integrated into the team’s financial operations.

bp

With an exclusive sponsorship and technical partnership, bp was the first official partner of the future Audi factory team in Formula 1®. Under the new partnership, bp and its specialist lubricants business Castrol are proud to help deliver Audi’s ambition to combine technology and innovation to achieve success in Formula 1®. The parties have been working closely together since the end of 2022, co-engineering bp fuels and Castrol lubricants to enable maximum performance from the Audi F1 Power Unit.

adidas

The official apparel partner for the future Audi factory team in Formula 1® is adidas. The partnership includes the development of a comprehensive collection of high-performance equipment – fulfilling specific requirements – for the drivers, mechanics, engineers, and other team members. As fans are at the heart of this partnership, the two brands will launch an exclusive product line of apparel, footwear, and accessories worldwide, giving fans the opportunity to show their solidarity with the team.

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