Audi has finally confirmed plans to enter F1 in 2026 as a power unit manufacturer. Further information on which team they will be lining up with will be announced by the end of this year.
- Audi scraps LMDh plans to focus on F1
- To announce F1 team partner by end-2022
New engine rules clear path for Audi F1 entry
Earlier this month, the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the new F1 engine regulations that will come into effect in 2026. These new rules will see the complex MGU-H system (which captures energy from exhaust gases) scrapped altogether. Given that the system has little relevance to road cars, it didn’t make much sense for new manufacturers to commit large funds for its development.
Instead, the MGU-K (which recaptures energy under braking) will generate 350kW – more than three times the electrical power generated by the MGU-H and MGU-K together currently. The electric motor will then be nearly as powerful as the combustion engine, which has an output of about 544hp (400kW).
Moreover, the 1.6-litre turbo engine will run on fully sustainable fuel – something that Audi says was a prerequisite for the brand’s F1 entry. In addition to the existing cap on costs for teams, a cost cap for power unit manufacturers will also be introduced in 2023.
Which F1 team will Audi partner with?
Audi will build its own powertrains at its motorsport headquarters in Neuburg, Germany, and both CEO Markus Duesmann and technical boss Oliver Hoffman have suggested the development programme will inform development of electrified road cars.
"This is the first time in more than a decade that a Formula 1 powertrain will be built in Germany,” Audi notes. Paddock rumours suggest a potential tie up with Sauber – which currently runs its cars under the Alfa Romeo banner. However, Audi hasn’t revealed much about this, simply stating it will announce a partner for 2026 by the end of this year.
Speaking to reporters, Duesmann said, "Motorsport is an integral part of Audi’s DNA. Formula 1 is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory. The combination of high performance and competition is always a driver of innovation and technology transfer in our industry.”
"With the new rules, now is the right time for us to get involved. After all, Formula 1 and Audi both pursue clear sustainability goals.”
Audi scraps LMDh plans
In order to focus completely on its F1 efforts going forward, Audi has scrapped plans to return to the World Endurance Championship with a new LMDh prototype. “Formula 1 is the next major milestone in Audi’s motorsport history,” said Julius Seebach, who will soon leave his role as boss of Audi Sport to "take on a new strategic business area in Technical Development, reporting directly to the executive board".
Audi says there are already F1 powertrain test benches in place at its Neuburg development centre, and that it has started to make preparations "in terms of personnel, buildings, and technical infrastructure". It has also formed a new company specifically dedicated to Formula 1 powertrain development, wholly owned by its motorsport arm, Audi Sport.
Adam Baker – a recent Audi recruit from the FIA – will lead that new company as CEO of Audi's Formula 1 project.
Porsche’s F1 plans
Porsche is yet to solidify its own plans for a Formula 1 entry, though it is widely reported to be acquiring a 50 percent stake in UK-based Red Bull Technologies. This is likely with a view to becoming the current top team's engine supplier, following Honda’s exit from the sport last year.
Details of exactly what shape this partnership could take remain to be seen, and the German sports car manufacturer has not publicly commented on the reports.
Also see:
7 things to know about F1’s new engine rules
How F1’s new fuel could keep the internal combustion engine alive