Audi to enter Formula One from 2026

A key part of Audi's decision to join Formula One is the racing series' goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030

Audi will enter Formula One from 2026 with a power unit built in Germany under new regulations, the Volkswagen premium brand announced at the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday.

Audi said it would announce by the end of the year which outfit it would be lining up with. It has been in talks with the Swiss-based Sauber Group, whose team competes under the Alfa Romeo name, according to reports by Reuters and other media.

Formula One will have a new power unit from 2026 with a focus on sustainability and a more cost-efficient future, with the Liberty Media-owned sport having a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030.

“Formula One is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory,” said Audi chairman Markus Duesmann in a statement coinciding with a news conference at Spa-Francorchamps.

“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.”

The new rules from 2026 will bring greater electrification and the use of advanced sustainable fuel. Power unit manufacturers will also be subject to a cost cap from next season.

Audi’s power unit will be built in Neuburg an der Donau near the carmaker’s headquarters at Ingolstadt, with a separate Audi Sport subsidiary being founded for the project.