Following the announcement of its entry into Formula 1 at the end of August, Audi has now confirmed its new partner in the sport.
At the end of August, Audi announced that it would be making its debut in Formula 1 in 2026. Now, the company has confirmed a new partnership with the Sauber F1 Team, marking the next milestone in the marque’s inaugural entry into the sport.
With 30 years of competitive experience, Sauber is one of the most renowned and traditional teams in Formula 1. The Swiss racing team is currently in a partnership with Alfa Romeo.
Sauber will be responsible for planning and executing race operations during the Formula 1 season. With its new collaboration with Audi, the power unit will be developed at Audi’s Motorsport Competence Center in Neuburg an der Donau, while Sauber will produce the Formula 1 car at its site in Hinwil (Switzerland). Development of the power unit, which consists of the MGU-K, battery, control systems and a V6 hybrid engine, is already in full swing at Audi’s racing facility.
“We are delighted to have gained such an experienced and competent partner for our ambitious Formula 1 project. We already know the Sauber Group with its state-of-the-art facility and experienced team from previous collaborations and are convinced that together we will form a strong team” says Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board for Technical Development at AUDI AG.
This isn’t the first time the two firms have collaborated. In the past, Audi Sport regularly used the Sauber Group’s high-tech wind tunnel in Hinwil to develop the Class 1 touring car for DTM.
With its first season beginning in 2026, Audi has a tight timetable up to the first race. The company’s expansion of the Neuburg facility in terms of personnel, buildings and technical infrastructure would largely be in place by 2023, with tests for the new power unit developed for the 2026 regulations planned for 2025.
One important prerequisite for Audi’s decision to enter Formula 1 is the sport’s big push towards sustainability, with new regulations that will come into effect from 2026. The power units are slated to be more efficient than they are today. The proportion of electric power will increase significantly, with the electric drivetrain having nearly as much power as the internal combustion engine, which is currently rated at 400 kW (544 hp).
The current generation of hybrid 1.6-litre turbocharged engines will be developed to run with sustainable synthetic fuel that is CO2-neutral (according to EU standards). This is in line with Formula 1’s goal of being CO2-neutral as a racing series by 2030.
More information can be found at Audi’s website .