Sharp colors and an essential message of power and sportiness. CEO Gernot Döllner: “This is the next chapter of the renewal, Formula 1 will be a catalyst for changes in the direction of a leaner, faster and more innovative Audi”
A double challenge, entry into the top automotive formula in conjunction with the new regulation 2026destined to radically change the technique of single-seaters and driving, but also the close contact with such a competitive environment that it then transfers even greater speed to the company development for series cars. “This is the next chapter of the renewal, Formula 1 will be a catalyst for changes in the direction of a leaner, faster and more innovative Audi.” Gernot DöllnerCEO of the house of the Four Rings, officially starts the countdown, with the preview of livery of the 2026 car and objectives already clear from the beginning: “We don’t enter Formula 1 just to be there. We want to win. At the same time, we know that you don’t become a top team in F1 overnight. It takes time, perseverance and a tireless questioning of the status quo. By 2030 we want to fight for the title.”
Circulation of ideas
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The name chosen, more than ever, is not accidental. There is no mention of a single-seater with the Concept identification, usually reserved for prototypes of what will become production cars. Audi R26 Concept it is therefore both a preview of the color that will be used in the race and of the new philosophy chosen by the German company. In the minimalist graphics, in the colors titanium, carbon black and in the new Audi red there is the search for a most essential message Of power and sportiness. “We are developing a unifying design language that brings together every aspect of our organization,” he comments Massimo FrascellaIt is no coincidence that Audi’s creative manager is called into question: “The Audi Formula 1 project is a precursor to the new brand identity, which will be implemented in the future both for the F1 team and for Audi as a whole.”
Revolution underway
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The calendar is already ready, with the official presentation of the team at January 2026the first official test sessions already scheduled in Bahrain for 11-13 February and 18-20 February, then finally the race debut in Melbourne, for the Australian GP scheduled for 6-8 March 2026. They will Gabriel Bortoleto And Nico Hülkenberg to bring the car to its debut. The attention of the Audi team led by Mattia Binotto however, it goes to the very important closed-door test session scheduled for next January in Barcelona. In fact, the new regulation presents a amount of unknowns comparable only to that of the technical innovations compared to current single-seaters. The team develops and builds the single-seaters at the Hinwil site, but since the spring of 2022 it has been working on the engine, which will be built in Neuburg an der Donau in Germany, as well as the gearbox. The powertrain consists of a V6 with 1.6 liter displacement and turbocharger, energy recovery system (ERS) including high-voltage battery (ES, energy storage) and electric motor-generator unit (MGU-K).
The challenge is here, because the new technical regulations provide for a new hybrid propulsion formula. The power of the electric motor goes from 120 kW to 350 kW, an increase of almost 300%, while that of the V6 drops from 550-560 kW to 400 kW. As if that wasn’t enough, the new regulation leads to the abandonment of the flat bottom and the arrival ofactive aerodynamicswith the front and rear wings which will cancel the angle of attack in a straight line, only to close again during braking and cornering, regaining downforce. Obviously, DRS as we know it today is also destined to disappear, replaced by the Manual Override system, which will give the possibility of using the electric motor for a longer period of time and up to higher speeds in a straight line.
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