Audi F1 Team: Full Overview of the German Manufacturer

Audi confirmed the complete acquisition of Sauber Holding AG during 2025, transitioning from its previously announced minority-led approach to full ownership. This move established Audi as a true works entrant, aligning chassis development, power unit engineering, and race operations under a single manufacturer-controlled structure.

The racing operation has been rebranded as Audi Motorsport AG, while the Sauber name continues to exist within the group’s non-F1 technology and engineering divisions. This distinction preserves Sauber’s legacy while clearly separating Audi’s Formula One activities as a factory programme.

Governance Structure and Strategic Investment

Audi’s Formula 1 operation operates under the oversight of Audi AG, with external investment support from the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which holds a significant minority stake. According to publicly reported information, this partnership strengthens Audi F1’s financial resilience during a cost-cap-regulated era and aligns with QIA’s existing shareholding within the Volkswagen Group.

The governance model is intentionally centralised, designed to prevent the operational fragmentation that has historically hindered new manufacturer entries.

Audi F1 operates across three core locations, each selected for specific competitive advantages.

Neuburg an der Donau: Power Unit Development

Audi’s power unit programme is based at the Audi Competence Center Motorsport in Neuburg, Germany. This facility is responsible for the design and validation of Audi’s 2026 Formula 1 power unit, developed in accordance with FIA regulations governing the new hybrid era.

According to Audi, endurance testing of early-specification power units was completed during 2025, with a focus on system integration rather than peak output. Neuburg’s role is central to Audi’s identity as a manufacturer-led entrant, marking the first German-built Formula One power unit in over a decade.

Hinwil: Chassis, Aerodynamics, and Race Operations

The Hinwil facility in Switzerland remains the operational heart of the team. With decades of Formula One experience, it houses aerodynamic development, chassis production, and race team logistics.

Upgrades to wind tunnel capability and composite manufacturing were implemented to meet the demands of the 2026 aerodynamic regulations, which introduce active aerodynamic elements and revised load targets.

Bicester: Access to Motorsport Valley Talent

Audi opened its UK technology centre at Bicester Motion in 2025 to address a long-standing challenge for Hinwil-based teams: recruitment. The site focuses on computational fluid dynamics, simulation, and aerodynamic concept development, allowing Audi F1 to draw directly from the UK’s Formula One talent pool without requiring full relocation.

Mattia Binotto and Unified Technical Direction

Ex Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto leads Audi’s Formula One project with responsibility for technical integration across power unit and chassis development. His role centres on ensuring that the German and Swiss operations function as a single engineering entity, rather than parallel programmes.

Audi has publicly positioned the project as a long-term build, with competitive objectives extending well beyond the initial seasons of the 2026 regulation cycle.

Jonathan Wheatley and Trackside Operations

Jonathan Wheatley serves as Team Principal, overseeing sporting operations, race execution, and compliance with FIA sporting regulations. His background in peak Red Bull informs Audi’s emphasis on operational discipline, procedural clarity, and race-weekend execution from the outset.

Power Unit Regulations and Hybrid Emphasis

The 2026 Formula One power unit regulations introduce a simplified hybrid architecture, removing the MGU-H and significantly increasing the contribution of electrical power via the MGU-K. According to FIA technical regulations, the energy split approaches parity between combustion and electric output, placing energy deployment and efficiency at the centre of performance.

This regulatory direction aligns closely with Audi’s existing road-car hybrid and electrification strategy, reducing the learning curve faced by new entrants.

Aerodynamics and Active Aero Systems

The 2026 chassis regulations introduce active aerodynamic elements, replacing the current DRS system. Front and rear wings adjust dynamically based on speed and track conditions, aiming to reduce drag on straights while maintaining downforce in corners.

Audi’s aerodynamic structure has been designed around these concepts from the outset, rather than adapting legacy designs.

Audi has participated in ongoing FIA discussions regarding technical interpretation of the 2026 power unit regulations, particularly around measurement definitions and operating conditions. These discussions reflect standard manufacturer engagement rather than formal disputes and are part of the FIA’s regulatory clarification process.

Additionally, Audi benefits from the FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) framework, which exists to prevent early-cycle performance divergence among manufacturers during the new regulation era.

Audi F1’s initial driver pairing reflects a development-focused approach.

• Nico Hülkenberg provides technical feedback, experience, and continuity through the transition into a works program by being the experienced driver.
• Gabriel Bortoleto, selected following his junior-category success, represents a long-term investment aligned with Audi’s future competitive horizon.

This combination prioritises consistency and data-driven development during the early seasons of the new regulations.

Audi will compete as Audi Revolut F1 Team, with commercial partnerships structured around technology, finance, sustainability, and global reach. The title partnership with Revolut reflects a focus on digital integration, operational efficiency, and younger fan engagement, while additional partners support fuel development, apparel, and logistics within FIA cost-cap regulations.

The team’s full visual identity is scheduled to be unveiled on 20th of January, 2026.

As of December 2025, Audi F1 Team has completed its transition from acquisition project to operational Formula One works team. The combination of full ownership, aligned leadership, purpose-built infrastructure, and regulation-specific technical development places Audi among the most comprehensively prepared new entrants of the modern era.

While immediate results are not positioned as the primary objective, Audi’s structure reflects a long-term commitment shaped explicitly around the 2026 regulation cycle. In a Formula One landscape defined by efficiency, integration, and sustainability, Audi F1 enters the grid as a strategically aligned manufacturer rather than a reactive newcomer.

When will Audi F1 make its Formula One debut?

Audi F1 will make its competitive debut at the start of the 2026 Formula One season.

Is Audi a full works team in Formula One?

Yes. Audi completed full ownership of the former Sauber operation, making Audi F1 a manufacturer-backed works team.

Where is Audi F1 based?

Audi F1 operates across Neuburg (Germany), Hinwil (Switzerland), and Bicester (United Kingdom).

Why did Audi choose to enter Formula One in 2026?

The 2026 regulations introduce new power unit and aerodynamic rules that align closely with Audi’s technical expertise and long-term strategy.

Who leads the Audi F1 project?

The project is led by Mattia Binotto on the technical side and Jonathan Wheatley as Team Principal, under the oversight of Audi AG.