Sauber will be the Audi factory team from 2026

Audi chooses Sauber as a strategic partner and plans to acquire a stake in the Sauber Group. This comes after Audi announced their entry into the FIA Formula 1 Championships and this partnership will see the Swiss racing team compete as the Audi factory team from 2026 onwards using an Audi-developed power unit.

Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG (right), and Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development of AUDI AG

This milestone marks the next step in Audi’s entry into the premier class of motorsport. With roughly 30 years of competitive experience, there is no better brand than the renowned Sauber to introduce Audi into the world of Formula 1. This partnership is one that was truly forged to perfection.

Moreover, while Audi develops the power unit at their Motorsport Competence Center in Neuburg an der Donau, Sauber will develop and manufacture the race car at its site in Hinwil in Switzerland, and will also be responsible for planning and executing race operations.

Oliver Hoffmann, member of the Board for Technical Development at Audi AG, says, “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.”

Meanwhile, Finn Rausing, Chairman of Sauber Holding stated “Audi is the best partner for the Sauber Group. It is clear that both companies share the same values and vision. We are looking forward to achieving our common goals with a strong and successful partnership.”

With Formula 1 as a whole taking major steps towards sustainability, there will be new regulations coming into effect in 2026, the year in which Audi will be joining the motorsport. Despite this, it was an important prerequisite for Audi to enter the championship.

Additionally, the Audi power units the brand plans to use in the Formula 1 Championships will be far more efficient than they are today and will only become more efficient still as electric power continues to grow exponentially in the use of automobiles.

What’s more, Formula 1 has also set a goal for itself to become a carbon neutral racing series by the year 2030 so it will be interesting to see how the 1.6 litre turbocharged engines running on synthetic fuel in accordance to EU Standards will evolve from 2030 onwards.

Visit the Official Audi Website to discover more about the German marquee’s foray into Formula 1.