The 2026 Formula 1 season will mark Audi’s very first campaign in the world championship, as the famed German car brand tackles a new challenge.
Taking over the established Sauber squad, Audi is coming in with its own engines and an unchanged driver line-up.
As the team unveils its new livery on Tuesday in Berlin, let’s see what we can expect.
What’s new at Audi?
If anything, an identity. Audi acquired a stake in the Sauber outfit in 2022 and completed its purchase in 2024.
But the team itself is far from new. Sauber joined F1 in 1993 as a Le Mans-winning squad and has been ever present in the midfield throughout its existence, including its BMW and Alfa Romeo eras: 614 grands prix have led to one pole position and one victory, both courtesy of Robert Kubica in 2008.
Audi is therefore banking on continuity while investing in the team’s facilities, upgrading the Hinwil factory and opening the Audi Motorsport Technology Centre. The latter is aimed at ‘enhancing and expanding the team’s technical capabilities’; the new infrastructure is located in Bicester, United Kingdom, making it easier to attract coveted engineers if they don’t have to move their families over to Switzerland.
Audi F1 Team shakedown
Photo by: Audi
What’s the biggest challenge to Audi?
While the Hinwil-based outfit itself isn’t new, Audi is joining as a new power unit manufacturer, and that’s a tall order if Honda’s experience as F1’s most recent new supplier is anything to go by.
But the Japanese brand’s struggles from 2015 to 2017 occurred as it joined the world championship one year into the new regulations, which won’t be the case this time.
Audi was part of the negotiations regarding the new engine regulations in the last few years and is hoping to capitalise on its experience with hybrid and electric machinery in WEC, rally-raid and Formula E.
Still, it won’t be overly surprising, given how similar the new power units are to the 2014-2025 spec, if Audi and fellow new entrant Red Bull Ford somewhat trail their counterparts in terms of performance.
A positive sign was that Audi fired up its 2026 car – featuring its brand-new engine – as early as 19 December.
What’s the strongest asset to Audi?
A strong asset is Nico Hulkenberg. A veteran of 250 grands prix, which makes him the fourth-most experienced driver on the grid, the 38-year-old German also has slightly more experience than his peers on the energy front, as he was part of the crew that won the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours at the wheel of a Porsche 919 Hybrid.
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Photo by: Audi
The 919’s powertrain admittedly wasn’t quite close to 2026-spec F1 power units, but energy management experience will always be useful, and every little helps.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto will seek to improve on an encouraging rookie season in F1.
What’s the goal in F1 2026 for Audi?
Audi is aiming to fight for world titles by 2030, but it’s a long road to get there. CEO Gernot Doellner described the 2026 season as a “challenger year” – in other words, attempting to be as competitive as possible and hopefully improving on the previous campaign.
In 2025, Sauber finished just ninth in the constructors’ championship, but collected a decent haul of 70 points, with Hulkenberg scoring a podium finish at Silverstone.
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– The Autosport.com Team
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