The Audi F1 car, the R26, is Audi’s first Formula 1 race car and competes in the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship. It combines Audi’s AFR 26 Hybrid power unit, active aerodynamics, a carbon-fiber chassis, and FIA-compliant sustainable fuel. Although Audi draws on Auto Union’s 1930s Grand Prix heritage, 2026 marks Audi’s first works entry in Formula 1 itself.
Quick Answer
The Audi R26 is Audi’s 2026 Formula 1 car. Audi lists a weight of 770 kg and system output of around 1,000 hp. Its AFR 26 Hybrid combines a 1.6-liter turbo V6 with a 350 kW MGU-K electric motor. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto drive the R26.
What Is the Audi F1 Car?
The Audi R26 is the first Formula 1 race car entered by Audi. It began competition in 2026 as the chassis of the Audi Revolut F1 Team and uses Audi’s own AFR 26 Hybrid power unit.
According to the official Audi R26 technical specifications, the car is 5,440 mm long, 1,900 mm wide, and 980 mm high, with a wheelbase of no more than 3,400 mm. Audi lists its weight at 770 kg.
| Specification | Audi R26 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Power unit | AFR 26 Hybrid | 1.6-liter V6 turbo plus MGU-K |
| Dimensions | 5,440 × 1,900 × 980 mm | Wheelbase ≤3,400 mm |
| Weight | 770 kg | Official R26 specification |
The monocoque is made from high-strength carbon fiber. Suspension uses carbon-fiber double wishbones, while the braking system combines carbon discs with rear brake-by-wire control.
Audi describes the R26’s total system output as around 1,000 hp. That power comes from a much stronger electrical contribution than in the previous generation of Formula 1 power units.
Why Audi Entered Formula 1 in 2026
Audi chose 2026 because Formula 1 introduced major new technical and financial rules at the same time Audi wanted to enter as a full power-unit manufacturer. Greater electrification, sustainable fuel, and cost controls made the new regulation cycle particularly attractive to the company.
Audi publicly confirmed its Formula 1 program on August 26, 2022. In its official Formula 1 entry announcement, the company highlighted electrification, sustainable fuel, cost efficiency, global reach, and technology development as important reasons for joining.
That timing also meant Audi did not need to adapt an existing F1 engine. It could develop a new power unit around the 2026 rules from the start.
The result is a works-team approach in which Audi controls both the car and power unit. Chassis engineers and powertrain engineers can therefore develop packaging, cooling, aerodynamics, electrical systems, and mechanical components as parts of one program rather than around a customer-engine arrangement.
Audi’s Road to Formula 1
Audi’s route into Formula 1 combines a new factory project with an established racing organization. The brand announced its F1 plans in 2022, selected Sauber as its strategic partner, and used the Hinwil operation as the base for its works team.
| Milestone | Significance | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1934–1939 Auto Union era | Pre-F1 Grand Prix heritage | Europe |
| 2022 Audi and Sauber plan | Foundation for the future works team | Germany and Switzerland |
| 2026 Audi F1 debut | First Audi Formula 1 season | Australian Grand Prix |
On October 26, 2022, Audi formally selected Sauber as its Formula 1 strategic partner. Sauber brought decades of F1 infrastructure and experience, while Audi developed the new power unit in Germany.
This distinction also clears up a common historical misunderstanding. Audi did not race in the Formula 1 World Championship during the 1930s because that championship did not begin until 1950. The earlier connection is through Auto Union, one of Audi’s corporate predecessors, which competed at the highest level of European Grand Prix racing before World War II.
Audi R26 Concept vs. the 2026 R26 Race Car
The R26 Concept and the R26 race car are related but not identical ideas. Audi unveiled the R26 Concept in November 2025 as a preview of its Formula 1 visual identity, then presented the team and 2026 race livery in Berlin in January 2026.
The concept introduced the titanium, red, and exposed-carbon visual direction associated with Audi’s F1 identity. It was a design preview rather than the final competition specification.
At the January 2026 Audi Revolut F1 Team unveiling, Audi presented the R26 race livery and confirmed the AFR 26 Hybrid power unit. The car had already completed an initial rollout at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before formal preseason testing.
The finished R26 therefore should not be described simply as a concept. It is Audi’s active 2026 Formula 1 race car.
Its appearance still follows the direction previewed by the concept: titanium tones, visible dark carbon areas, and distinctive red accents. Underneath that identity is a fully developed racing chassis built to the FIA’s new-generation technical regulations.
How the Audi F1 Power Unit Works
The R26 uses the AFR 26 Hybrid, an Audi-developed turbo-hybrid Formula 1 power unit. It combines a 1.6-liter, 90-degree V6 combustion engine with an electrical Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic, normally shortened to MGU-K.
The V6 has a displacement of 1,600 cc, an 80 mm bore, a 53 mm stroke, four valves per cylinder, direct fuel injection, and a single turbine and compressor.
The MGU-K can deliver up to 350 kW, or about 470 hp. Audi specifies a maximum MGU-K speed of 60,000 rpm and a lithium-ion energy store weighing at least 35 kg.
Unlike the previous F1 power-unit generation, the 2026 architecture no longer uses an MGU-H connected to the turbocharger. Electrical recovery and deployment instead center on the MGU-K and battery.
During braking, the MGU-K can recover kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost. That energy is stored in the battery and later sent back through the electric motor for propulsion.
The combustion engine and electric system work together rather than functioning as two separate drivetrains. Audi describes the overall power split as close to 50:50, with total system output around 1,000 hp.
The R26 also uses an eight-speed sequential semi-automatic gearbox with one reverse gear. This transmission, the engine, the MGU-K, the battery, and their control systems must work as one tightly integrated package.
What Changes in the 2026 F1 Regulations?
The 2026 Formula 1 regulations change the power unit, aerodynamics, dimensions, energy management, and fuel requirements at the same time. For Audi, this reset created an opportunity to enter without inheriting a previous-generation Formula 1 design.
The FIA’s 2026 Formula 1 regulation framework increased maximum electrical power from 120 kW to 350 kW while reducing the combustion engine’s contribution to roughly 400 kW.
Cars also use active aerodynamics. Front and rear aerodynamic elements can change configuration while the car is running, allowing the regulations to balance cornering performance with lower drag on straights.
The MGU-H was removed, simplifying one part of the hybrid architecture. At the same time, the MGU-K became much more powerful, so electrical energy deployment now has a much larger effect on performance and race strategy.
The rules also require sustainable racing fuel and introduce smaller overall car dimensions compared with the previous generation. The aim is to combine strong performance with better efficiency and more manageable vehicle size.
These changes help explain why the R26 is not simply a Sauber chassis with Audi badges. Its powertrain, aerodynamic concept, dimensions, and energy-management requirements were created for an entirely new technical cycle.
Where Audi Builds Its F1 Car
Audi’s Formula 1 program operates across Hinwil in Switzerland, Neuburg an der Donau in Germany, and Bicester in England. Each location has a different role, but they work together as one factory-team structure.
Audi’s official Formula 1 project information identifies three main locations. Hinwil is responsible for development of the race car and race operations, while Audi Formula Racing GmbH in Neuburg develops and manufactures the powertrain.
The Hinwil operation grew from Sauber’s long-established Formula 1 base. It handles areas such as chassis engineering, aerodynamics, car construction, and track operations.
Neuburg is the heart of Audi’s power-unit program. The AFR 26 Hybrid and related propulsion systems are developed there, close to Audi’s German headquarters.
Bicester places part of the organization inside the United Kingdom’s motorsport engineering cluster. It gives Audi access to additional Formula 1 specialists while supporting the work carried out in Hinwil and Neuburg.
This three-site model is important because Audi operates as a works constructor. Instead of pairing its chassis with another manufacturer’s engine, it can coordinate the car and power unit within the same program.
Audi F1 Fuel, Technology, and Sustainability
The R26 runs on the sustainable-fuel framework introduced for Formula 1 in 2026. Calling it only “synthetic fuel” is too narrow because FIA-approved sustainable racing fuel can use several eligible feedstock pathways.
The FIA requires fuel made from advanced sustainable components rather than newly extracted fossil carbon sources. These components can come from sources such as non-food biomass, municipal waste, or renewable feedstocks of non-biological origin.
Audi works with bp on its Formula 1 racing fuel. The companies’ technical partnership also includes Castrol lubricants for the V6 engine and fluids for electric components.
The important environmental distinction is lifecycle impact rather than an assumption that no carbon dioxide leaves the exhaust. Sustainable-fuel rules focus on where the carbon originates and the overall greenhouse-gas performance of the fuel.
Electrification is the other major part of the efficiency strategy. The MGU-K’s 350 kW maximum output makes the electric side of the power unit a major source of propulsion rather than a small supplement.
Energy recovery during braking further improves system efficiency by converting kinetic energy into electrical energy that can be stored and redeployed.
Active aerodynamics also support the new power-unit concept. Reducing drag when appropriate helps the car manage the energy demands created by the much larger electric contribution.
Key Facts About the Audi Revolut F1 Team
The Audi Revolut F1 Team is Audi’s Formula 1 works team and has competed under that name since the 2026 season. It uses the R26 chassis, Audi’s AFR 26 Hybrid power unit, and Pirelli tires.
Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are the team’s 2026 race drivers. Current Audi F1 team information lists Mattia Binotto as CEO and Team Principal, Allan McNish as Racing Director, and James Key as Technical Director.
Team Origins and Entry
The team grew from the Sauber Formula 1 organization in Hinwil rather than being created entirely from scratch. Sauber supplied the experienced chassis, factory, and race-operation foundation that Audi combined with its new in-house power-unit program.
The Audi name first appeared as a Formula 1 works entrant in 2026. This is different from Audi’s broader motorsport lineage, which includes rallying, touring cars, endurance racing, Formula E, Dakar, and the pre-war Grand Prix achievements associated with Auto Union.
| Element | Detail | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | 2026 season | Audi’s first F1 works season |
| Car | R26 | First Audi F1 chassis |
| Power unit | AFR 26 Hybrid | Audi-developed works powertrain |
| Drivers | Hülkenberg and Bortoleto | 2026 race pairing |
| Leadership | Binotto, McNish, Key | Current senior sporting and technical structure |
Revolut is the team’s title partner. It is part of the official team name but is not the manufacturer of the car or owner of the Audi brand.
Factory, Drivers, and Powertrain
The works-team structure links the drivers, chassis organization, power-unit engineers, and race team under one technical program. That integration is one of Audi’s main differences from a customer team buying its engine from another manufacturer.
Hülkenberg brings extensive Formula 1 experience as well as an overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bortoleto entered Formula 1 after winning the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in successive seasons.
Behind them, James Key oversees the technical development of the chassis, while Audi Formula Racing GmbH handles the power unit in Neuburg. Race operations are centered in Hinwil.
The combination allows Audi to make car-level decisions with the needs of the AFR 26 Hybrid in mind. Cooling layouts, aerodynamic packaging, energy recovery, gearbox integration, weight distribution, and reliability can all be considered together.
For more on the sport, see our guides to whether F1 cars are electric, the Williams F1 team and the Cadillac F1 engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Audi F1 car called?
Audi’s 2026 Formula 1 car is the Audi R26. It is the first F1 race car entered by Audi and uses the AFR 26 Hybrid power unit.
Who drives the Audi F1 car?
Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are the Audi Revolut F1 Team race drivers for the 2026 season.
How much power does the Audi R26 have?
Audi describes the total system output as around 1,000 hp, from a 1.6-liter turbo V6 and an electric MGU-K rated at up to 350 kW (about 470 hp).
When did Audi enter Formula 1?
Audi announced its Formula 1 program on August 26, 2022, and made its race debut as a works team in the 2026 season, building on the Sauber operation in Hinwil.
Did Audi race in Formula 1 in the 1930s?
No. The Formula 1 World Championship began in 1950. Audi’s 1930s racing heritage comes from Auto Union, a corporate predecessor that competed in European Grand Prix racing before World War II.
Where is the Audi F1 car built?
The chassis and race operations are based in Hinwil, Switzerland, the power unit is developed and built in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany, and Audi also has a technical site in Bicester, England.
Conclusion
The Audi R26 is more than a design study or a reference to the company’s racing past. It is Audi’s first Formula 1 race car, built around a works chassis-and-power-unit program for the 2026 rules. Its 1.6-liter turbo V6, 350 kW MGU-K, active aerodynamics, sustainable fuel, and three-site engineering structure show how Audi has approached its first F1 season.
Sources
- Audi R26 Technical Specifications: R26 dimensions, weight, power unit, MGU-K, gearbox, suspension, and braking specifications.
- Audi Enters Formula 1: Audi’s 2022 entry announcement and reasons for joining under the 2026 rules.
- Audi Selects Sauber as Strategic Partner: development of the Audi works-team structure.
- Audi Revolut F1 Team Berlin Premiere: R26 race-car unveiling, power-unit details, and 2026 launch information.
- FIA 2026 Formula 1 Regulations Overview: electrical power, active aerodynamics, sustainable fuel, and other regulation changes.
- Audi Formula 1 Project: R26, drivers, facilities, and works-team structure.
- Audi and bp Formula 1 Partnership: sustainable racing fuel and Castrol lubricant development.
- Audi: The Age of the Silver Arrows: Auto Union’s pre-war Grand Prix history and 1936 European Championship.
- Audi Revolut F1 Team: current drivers and senior team leadership.
