Audi achieves "significant milestone" with its 2026 Formula One power unit

Work on the Energy Unit for Audi’s Method 1 entry has been underway for greater than two years. The German producer has now revealed particulars on how the work has progressed for the final two years.

In August 2022, Audi introduced its plans to take over the Sauber F1 staff in 2026 when new technical rules will take impact. Nonetheless, with modifications in Audi’s administration, rumours had began to flow into a number of instances that the German producer may name off its F1 dedication.

This 12 months’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix then noticed the Ingolstadt-based producer verify its plans to take a one hundred pc stake within the Sauber Group. Audi introduced {that a} corresponding settlement was reached with the present majority shareholder, Islero Investments AG.

Within the meantime, Audi created a facility in Neuburg a. d. Donau which is accountable for the event of the F1 hybrid drive. Along with the Hinwil facility, the staff from Neuburg will kind the longer term manufacturing unit staff with which Audi will compete within the prime class in 2026.

Commenting on the work Audi has achieved with its energy unit, Adam Baker, who’s the CEO of Audi Method Racing GmbH, mentioned that the German producer has already simulated race distances with its energy models.

“After simply two years, our Energy Unit, consisting of a combustion engine, electrical motor, battery and management electronics, is working dynamically on the take a look at bench.

“Efficiently marrying the varied parts right into a single unit is the results of laborious work and nice teamwork. The Audi Energy Unit has already lined simulated race distances on the take a look at bench.

“We gained plenty of testing time with the person parts in 2023 and had been in a position to incorporate the expertise gained into the subsequent development levels in parallel. Vital milestones and objectives have been achieved, which provides all the staff a superb feeling,” famous Baker.

Audi Method Racing’s CTO Stefan Dreyer revealed that the the corporate’s take a look at facility has gone by way of a big modernization to be able to meet the requirements set by rival Method One engine producers.

“We carried out a really formidable modernization and growth of our take a look at facility. In the present day, now we have 22 state-of-the-art take a look at benches on the web site.

“Our new growth instruments are state-of-the-art and have enabled us to attain a steep studying curve. By testing on the take a look at bench underneath simulated racing situations we achieve vital insights on this section of the venture.

“After the profitable race distances with the Energy Unit we are going to quickly be doing the identical with all the drive system, which implies the mix of Energy Unit and transmission.

“On the similar time, we’re going full throttle with efficiency growth to be able to obtain the objectives now we have set ourselves.

Audi makes use of totally different tracks from the present F1 calendar to check its energy unit on the take a look at bench with Dreyer claiming that sure tracks offering the German producer with attention-grabbing information.

“We run the Energy Unit on the take a look at bench with totally different layouts from the present F1 calendar, relying on the aim of the take a look at.

“For instance, Las Vegas is attention-grabbing for our growth staff by way of general vitality administration. A number of alternating quick and sluggish corners and virtually two kilometers of full throttle driving on the Las Vegas Strip present the right growth atmosphere for fine-tuning the combustion engine and the ERS (Power Restoration System) parts.

Dreyer has revealed that whereas the F1 venture is new for Audi, its earlier tasks have helped it design the F1 energy unit for the 2026 season.

“It was notably vital to ascertain a broad base in all areas, to create a superb basis for the event of the person parts – combustion engine, electrical motor, battery, management electronics, software program – to coordinate them with one another at an early stage.

“Our expertise from earlier motorsport tasks with high-voltage know-how, Le Mans, Method E, but additionally from the present Dakar venture, has helped us so much. We’ve already confirmed prior to now that we are able to develop standard, hybridized and purely electrical drivetrains.

“However, the problem in Method 1 is a very totally different one by way of cutting-edge know-how and competitors. This additionally applies to our companions and suppliers – we’re experiencing a really sturdy dedication from all sides.

Talking of the development of the Neuburg facility, Baker famous: “There have been particular milestones virtually each month because the begin of the venture in spring 2022, for instance the beginning of development for our infrastructure growth, the beginning of testing for the single-cylinder, the primary take a look at bench run of the electrical motor and the V6 engine and the primary race distances with the whole Energy Unit.

“The truth that our whole staff can absolutely think about the event of the Energy Unit for 2026 is a bonus for Audi. The remaining time till 2026 is all about attaining our growth objectives by way of most general car efficiency with full focus. It would stay thrilling till the primary race – and after that, after all, too.

“Depth is an efficient key phrase for our efficiency growth. The rules permit a complete of three take a look at benches for single-cylinder assessments, for instance, which aren’t restricted by the FIA by way of working instances.

“We use this most quantity on the facility as intensively as attainable for the event of combustion processes for inner combustion engines. Thus far, now we have achieved all of the targets we set ourselves for efficiency and effectivity on this section.

“As well as, our gas growth has been working since 2022 with a powerful associate who has a few years of expertise in Method 1. This can be a actually decisive issue for our venture, as the brand new sustainable gas for 2026 may have even larger aggressive relevance,” mentioned Baker.

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