Audi has provided an update on its development project ahead of its entry to Formula 1 in 2026.
The German automotive giant will join Formula 1 under revised power unit regulations in 2026 and will form a strategic collaboration with Sauber, which currently competes under Alfa Romeo branding.
Audi has taken its Formula 1 show car to China – its most important sales market – for Auto Shanghai, which begins in the city today (Tuesday), a few days after the date on which the Chinese Grand Prix should have taken place prior to its cancellation.
Audi emphasised that its first full hybrid drivetrain unit is on schedule to run on its test bench before the end of the year, having been testing a single cylinder engine since the end of 2022.
Its facility at Neuberg is being expanded, with a completion date of early 2024, and the first phase will be ready in the second half of 2023 in order to accommodate additional test rigs.
Audi also outlined that it already has 260 employees working on the project and that number is expected to exceed 300 once the hiring process has been completed by year’s end.
Audi’s simulator is also in the process of being upgrades to Formula 1 standards.
“The Audi Formula 1 project has really taken off in recent months,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at Audi.
“In the ongoing concept phase of the power unit, the foundation of our drivetrain for 2026 is being laid today.
“We attach great importance to detail work, for example on materials or manufacturing technologies, and we also focus on topics such as the energy management of the hybrid drivetrain.
“After all, efficiency is a key success factor for Formula 1 and the mobility of the future, these approaches will advance both worlds.”
