Audi has revealed the R26 Concept, its first Formula 1 design prototype, ahead of the company’s entry into the sport in 2026.
The concept provides a preview of the car’s colour scheme and design language, which will feature titanium, carbon black and the newly introduced Audi red. The company said the car represents its new brand identity built around four principles: clear, technical, intelligent and emotional.
“Entering Formula 1 is the next chapter in the company’s renewal,” said Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. “We are not entering Formula 1 just to be there. We want to win.”
Audi confirmed its Formula 1 team will be led by former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto and ex-Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley. The driver line-up will include Nico Hülkenberg of Germany and Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil.
The powertrain is being developed in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany, and will combine a 1.6-litre hybrid V6 engine with tripled electric output powered by sustainable fuels, in line with new Formula 1 regulations coming into force in 2026.
Audi said its entry marks part of a wider corporate transformation aimed at accelerating innovation and aligning with sustainability goals. The company acquired the Sauber Group earlier this year to form its factory team base in Switzerland, with support from Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund as an investor.
Formula 1’s next-generation regulations will debut in 2026, offering Audi what it called “a level playing field” for new entrants. The brand’s first official Formula 1 car will be unveiled in January 2026, with testing to follow in Barcelona and Bahrain before its first race in Melbourne, Australia, in March.
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