Audi is set to make its debut in Formula 1 in 2026, marking its first foray into the sport. The car manufacturer recently announced a major milestone in its F1 program, revealing that its engine has successfully completed race distances during dyno tests. As Audi prepares to take over Sauber and become a works team, it has remained relatively tight-lipped about its progress. However, in a recent interview, Audi Formula Racing CEO Adam Baker and Chief Technical Officer Stefan Dreyer provided some insight into the brand’s ambitions. They disclosed that Audi’s power unit, which includes a combustion engine, electric motor, battery, and control electronics, has been running dynamically on the test bench after just two years of development. The team has also conducted simulation tests on various circuits, including the challenging new Las Vegas track, to fine-tune the engine and energy recovery system components. These achievements have given the team a sense of accomplishment and confidence moving forward.
Dreyer has stated that Audi is determined to enhance its emerging package even further while ensuring that it meets the competitive targets it has set.
“After successfully testing the power unit over long distances, we will soon do the same with the entire drive system, which includes the combination of power unit and transmission.
“At the same time, we are fully committed to developing the performance in order to accomplish the objectives we have established.”
Meanwhile, Audi has also made a significant investment in establishing the necessary facilities at Neuburg to compete in the series.
“We have implemented an ambitious modernization and expansion of our testing facility,” Dreyer explained.
“Currently, we have 22 cutting-edge testing stations at the site. Our new development tools are state-of-the-art and have facilitated a rapid learning process.”