What to remember from the announcement of Audi's arrival in Formula 1

It is now official, Audi has announced its arrival in Formula by 2026. The brand with the rings, through the voices of CEO Markus Duesmann and technical development manager Oliver Hoffman, detailed the contours of their first commitment to the queen category. Anthologies. 

• An arrival first as an engine manufacturer 

This was one of the big questions: Porsche having planned to engage as an engine manufacturer alongside Red Bull from 2026, would the Stuttgart firm supply its engine to Audi, the two brands being both part of the same house? The answer is no. “I would like to officially announce that we have registered as an engine manufacturer as of 2026” introduced Audi CEO Markus Duesmann at the start of the press conference. It will be an engine made in Germany, built in Neuburg, close to the brand's HQ located in Ingolstadt. 

• The chassis partnership will be announced later 

During the press conference, the two representatives of the Ingolstadt brand did not yet specify which team it would ally with. “We will announce it by the end of the year” explained Duesmann, after explaining that they had been in discussions with numerous teams. According to our information, this should be with Sauber, the structure led by Frederic Vasseur and which today operates behind the appellation Alfa Romeo. Furthermore, the staff clarified that they will not 100% build a new team, because from a development point of view, “it was simpler to start the process based on an existing car”. Words suggesting that we could witness a partnership like what BMW Sauber was between 2006 and 2009. 

Audi has unveiled a show car. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

• A commitment completely independent from that of Porsche 

It was also one of the big news of the day. The two giants of the Volkswagen group will each have their own distinctive commitment. As a reminder, Porsche is expected to buy 50% of the shares of the Red Bull team while becoming the team's engine supplier, taking advantage of the English facilities in Milton Keynes. Duesmann and Hoffman have in fact confirmed it: each team will develop its own engine, and their commitments will be very distinctive. “At Le Mans, we had two completely separate entities with Porsche”, noted the Audi boss. If they come, they will indeed be two completely separate entities. Both brands have their own fans, their own strengths and characters, which is why we prefer there to be two different operations.” And the technical manager clarified. “The engines have to be designed specifically for the chassis, and knowing that we will have two different chassis, it makes sense to have two different power units.” 

• Why wait until 2026? 

It may seem far away, but for Audi, it's already tomorrow! The brand having taken a huge electric shift, it was of course out of the question for it to build an engine before the 2026 regulations, which are clearly moving towards electrification of its compounds. Above all, it intends to take advantage of the three years ahead to develop the best possible power unit, and thus bring its installations up to standard. F1 in order to be ready for 2026. 

Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi, spoke at length. © Paul Vaicle / DPPI

• The new 2026 engine regulations were decisive 

Audi has confirmed what we have been imagining for several months: without the new engine regulations decided for 2026, it would not have joined Formula 1. Present alongside them, Stefano Domenicali, boss of F1, and Mohamed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, were also very happy about it. “From 2026, there will be greater electrification of engines and several compounds compared to what is happening today”, specified Duesmann. “The electric motor will be almost as powerful as the internal combustion engine, with 400 kW of power. The very efficient 1.6L turbo engine will be based on sustainable fuel, which was also a prerequisite from our side. F1's desire to become “carbon neutral” by 2030 also played a role in their decision to join the grid. 

ALSO READ > Everything you need to know about the new engine regulations 

• A very long-term commitment 

The two representatives of the brand refused to give details on the costs invested or the duration of their commitment. They simply clarified that this would include “a big long-term investment”. Markus Duesmann also clarified that Audi was not there to make money, and that the brand did not need F1 for that. 

• What sporting goals? 

Audi recalled, she was the first to win the 24 hours of Le Mans with a hybrid car, and it was the first German manufacturer to win the Formula E. Audi has a great reputation in motorsport and did not come to make up the numbers. Regarding the objectives, Duesmann has set a course. “Winning right away would be ideal of course, but realistically, we hope to be competitive within three years.”

Audi in F1 in 2026. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

• They are confident that they can keep up with current engine suppliers

This was the most difficult part of the negotiation for the FIA ​​and F1. How to attract new manufacturers like Audi by allowing them to quickly get up to speed with the competition already in place, without disadvantaging the manufacturers who have been loyal to them for several years. Audi, for its part, does not consider its newcomer status to be a problem, thanks to what has been decided in terms of the 2026 regulations. “The changes are so significant that we should be able to catch up with our competitors” we heard. The technical manager then detailed his remarks a little. “Being ready for 2026 is obviously a huge challenge. We found compromises with the FIA ​​and F1 which will allow us to begin our F1 adventure eye to eye with the competition.

• No impact on other brand programs 

Audi's 2026 commitment to F1 will not change anything in the brand's other programs. “We are very happy with our commitment to Dakar. In 2022, we were the first manufacturer to introduce a hybrid engine. We will continue to align in the coming years. Same thing regarding our customer competition branch in GT, we are very satisfied and will continue our commitment too. 

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