Audi enters Formula 1 as an engine supplier

CEO Marcus Dussmann announced at a press conference at Spa-Francorchamps on the sidelines of the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday that German carmaker Audi will make its Formula 1 debut in 2026 as an engine supplier.

Duesmann explained that Audi will develop its hybrid engine in Neuburg an der Donau in Bavaria, southern Germany, and partner with the Formula One team “to be announced by the end of the year”.

According to the specialized press, this alliance can be closed with Sauber, which currently competes as Alfa Romeo and has Ferrari engines. Thus, Audi joins Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull (with Honda technology) as the engine manufacturer.

The announcement comes ten days after the FIA ​​World Motorsport Council approved a regulation on new engines from 2026.

“It’s perfect timing with the new regulations: F1 changes in a way that allows us to arrive, with a very important part of the electricity”

The engines, hybrids since 2014, will see an increase in electric power from 2026 and will use 100% sustainable fuel, a requirement of the German brand.

Audi, like the Volkswagen Group as a whole, is committed to the shift towards electric technology, and wants to use the F1 Showcase to showcase its greener progress and ambitions.

The possibility of creating a team from scratch has been denied and everything seems to indicate that, either through cooperation or purchase, the most likely gateway to Audi for F1 will be the Swiss chassis of Sauber, currently in service as Alfa Romeo.

Following Audi’s announcement, Porsche should soon announce its entry into the motorsport elite. Although both brands belong to the Volkswagen Group, Duesmann specifies that they will be “two completely different programmes”, with an Audi chassis in Germany and a hypothetical Porsche base in the UK.

This accuracy opens the door to a possible collaboration between Porsche and Red Bull, by buying 50% of the Austrian team.

grb