Audi have formally offered their first-ever Formulation 1 automobile, staging a dramatic reveal contained in the historic Kraftwerk energy station in Berlin. The occasion marks the subsequent main milestone within the German producer’s journey towards their Grand Prix debut in 2026, following their preliminary announcement of intent again in August 2022.
The workforce will enter the championship as a full works outfit, fielding a automobile powered by Audi’s inaugural Formulation 1 Energy Unit. Their first race will happen in Australia, the place the brand new machine — designated R26 — will flip a wheel in competitors for the very first time.
A daring arrival for a brand new works workforce
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner headlined the launch alongside Head of Audi F1 Challenge Mattia Binotto, Crew Principal Jonathan Wheatley, and race drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. The R26 appeared in a placing titanium, carbon fibre and lava pink livery, an evolution of the color scheme first teased in Munich final November.
“In the present day marks greater than a launch; it marks the general public declaration of a brand new period for Audi,” mentioned Döllner. “Formulation 1 is essentially the most demanding stage on the planet of motorsport, and we’re right here not simply to compete, however to outline the way forward for ‘Vorsprung durch Technik.’
“This venture is a catalyst for our complete firm, a logo of our transformation in the direction of a extra performance-driven, environment friendly, and revolutionary tradition. Our philosophy is one among absolute, long-term dedication.
“We perceive that success in Formulation 1 calls for relentless perseverance and Audi Revolut F1 Crew shouldn’t be right here to make up the numbers; we goal to be combating for the World Championship by 2030.”
Constructing a unified organisation
Audi had been the primary workforce to run a 2026-spec automobile, finishing a filming day in Barcelona earlier this month. After the Berlin launch, the squad will return to Spain for Shakedown Week, the place all 11 groups could have three days of operating.
Binotto emphasised the strategic benefit of Audi’s totally built-in construction.
“The strategic choice to enter Formulation 1 as a full works workforce is our single best asset,” he mentioned. “We have now spent the previous couple of years meticulously constructing not only a energy unit in Neuburg however laying the foundations for a technical organisation that binds our chassis growth in Hinwil and Bicester.
“This seamless integration offers us complete management over our future, eliminating compromises and enabling a stage of agility and innovation that’s important for achievement.
“That is what makes Audi Revolut F1 Crew one imaginative and prescient, controlling each variable from the engine block to the entrance wing. That is the muse upon which championships are constructed.”
Highlights of the R26 launch ⬇️❤️#audif1 pic.twitter.com/Zwk5YVnaD6
— Audi F1 Racing Crew (@audi_f1stars) January 20, 2026
Crew Principal Jonathan Wheatley echoed that sentiment, highlighting the collective effort behind the R26.
“This automobile is the bodily embodiment of hundreds of hours of arduous work from a massively gifted group of individuals throughout our amenities.
“In the present day, we begin this journey with immense delight, but in addition with humility. That is simply day one among an extended marketing campaign. Our mission is to embed a championship DNA into each fibre of this workforce.
“A tradition of resilience, precision, and relentless curiosity the place we cease at nothing to seek out efficiency. For everybody right here, the thrill comes from this problem: to construct a workforce that will get stronger with each lap, each debrief, and each race. We’ll flip our long-term ambition into on-track actuality, daily, choice by choice.”
Hülkenberg and Bortoleto proceed as teammates
Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will contest their second season collectively in 2026. Hülkenberg delivered his first Formulation 1 podium final 12 months, whereas Bortoleto impressed with 5 factors finishes in his rookie marketing campaign.
“Having been within the Formulation 1 paddock for a few years, you study to differentiate between ambition and functionality,” mentioned Hülkenberg. “What I really feel right here in the present day is a profound seriousness and an unbelievable power that units this workforce aside.
“We’re a real works workforce with a transparent, long-term imaginative and prescient backed by immense assets and world-class experience. For a driver, the proposition of being with Audi on the very begin of its journey is exceptionally thrilling. We have now the possibility to construct one thing very particular collectively and I’m trying ahead to get this automobile on the monitor in Melbourne.”
Bortoleto described the chance as a defining second in his profession.
“To race for the 4 Rings, a model that has such an iconic and victorious historical past in motorsport is, fairly merely, a dream come true. You develop up listening to concerning the dominance of Audi at Le Mans and in rallying, and to now be chosen to hold that legacy into Formulation 1 is an unbelievable honour. That is the chance of a lifetime.
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