Audi confirms F1 partnership with Sauber from 2026

After confirming its entry into System 1 starting 2026, Audi has chosen Sauber as its strategic companion after talks with the McLaren, Aston Martin and Williams System 1 groups fell via. The partnership with Sauber is nothing new as Audi Sport has been frequently utilizing Sauber Group’s wind-tunnel in Hinwil, Zurich to develop its Le Mans and Class 1 DTM race automobiles.

In its announcement, Audi additionally expressed plans to amass a stake within the Sauber Group. The Swiss-based Sauber racing crew is at present competing in System 1 as Alfa Romeo Racing however the partnership is ready to conclude by the tip of the 2023 season – the crew is anticipated to revert to its Sauber id and can preserve utilizing Ferrari engines for 2024 and 2025.

From 2026, the Sauber crew shall be competing because the Audi manufacturing facility crew utilizing energy items developed by the German automaker. Sauber will proceed to develop and manufacture the race automotive in Hinwil, Switzerland and also will be tasked with planning and executing race operations.

It’s stated that the event of the facility unit, together with the electrical motor, battery, management programs and combustion engine, is already in full swing on the Audi System Racing GmbH facility in Neuburg an der Donau. The ability is anticipated to see an enlargement by way of personnel and technical infrastructure subsequent 12 months whereas first assessments of the 2026 energy unit are anticipated to start in 2025.

System 1 shall be taking huge steps in direction of sustainability with new laws coming into impact in 2026. The electrical motor in powertrains then could have almost as a lot energy – 400 kW (544 hp) – as the inner combustion engine. The 1.6 litre turbocharged engines shall be powered by sustainable artificial gas as System 1 units its sights on being a carbon impartial racing sequence by 2030.