Formula 1 will have a new team on its grid in 2026, with German manufacturing giant Audi set to make its entry into the premier class of motorsports. The Bavarian brand has tied up with Sauber, as the Swiss company is set to become Audi’s works team when they enter F1.
Audi has made quite an impact in various forms of motorsports including Le Mans, Dakar Rally, and Formula E. Now they want to make the step up to the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula 1.
Ferrari , Mercedes, Cadillac , McLaren, Honda , Audi , Alpine , Aston Martin and a potential Hyundai entry
Formula 1 2026 season will be stacked with car manufacturer #F1 pic.twitter.com/pF4ytWCU92
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They have strategically chosen to enter in 2026 because that is the year F1 will undergo a huge set of regulation changes. According to CEO Markus Duesmann, they were attracted by various aspects of F1 which led to them making the decision to enter the sport.
The fact that the new F1 engines will have triple the electrical power aligns perfectly with Audi’s decision of becoming a fully electric car manufacturer. Apart from that, the new cost cap system introduced by F1 also makes it easier for a new team to cope with the immense competition in the sport.
Audi has lost one of their F1 heads
However, amidst all of this, Audi has suffered a major blow to their F1 project. Volkswagen, the parent company of Audi, recently announced that CEO Markus Duesmann will no longer be part of the company.
Duesmann was one of the major figures behind Audi’s F1 project, and his departure will certainly affect the company in ways more than one. It has been reported that he will be replaced by Volkswagen’s current strategy chief Gernot Doellner.
Audi AG has a new CEO. His name is Gernot Döllner and he replaces Markus Duesmann. This comes at a time when Audi – which had been touted to be the number 1 premium automaker by 2018 – has been slipping globally behind its traditional rivals in terms of sales and other key areas. pic.twitter.com/YSTrHM7mbj
— Thami Masemola (@ThamiMasemola) June 30, 2023
Doellner has previously worked under Porsche as their head of product development. He was responsible for the production of the Panamera series of cars from 2011 to 2018. However, he does not seem to have much experience regarding the politics and workings of a motorsport series like F1. Thus, it would be quite interesting to see the direction that Audi’s F1 project takes under him.
Audi’s partnership with Sauber
Audi announced in October of 2022 that they will partner up with Sauber when they enter Formula 1. Audi had reportedly spoken with various teams including the likes of McLaren and Williams before they finally tied up with Sauber.
It makes sense for Audi to go ahead with the partnership because the Swiss brand has a rich history in Formula 1 and one of the best facilities and infrastructure to support its F1 project.
Audi has previously worked with Sauber when they rented the state-of-the-art Wind Tunnel facilities for their World Endurance Championship project. Therefore, they already have a good rapport with the Swiss side.
As for Sauber, making a deal with Audi means a huge injection of cash, personnel, and experience. This will help them in their aspirations to move up the grid towards the top. The Audi tie-up also means that Sauber will not have to bank on Ferrari’spower unit and will have their own PU supplier – dedicated solely towards them.
Therefore, it makes sense for both brands to go ahead together. Whether they will be able to make an instant impact and shake up the current hierarchy of F1, remains to be seen.
