Which F1 team will Audi replace in 2026?
When will Audi’s takeover of Sauber happen? Audi will complete its 100% takeover of the Sauber F1 Team before the 2026 F1 season. German car manufacturer Audi is contracted to compete as a Formula One team and power unit manufacturer beginning with the 2026 season. Audi F1 Team will be formed through the acquisition of Sauber, with engines developed by Audi Formula Racing GmbH.Audi is taking over the Sauber F1 team before joining the Formula 1 grid in 2026. But with 18 months to go, it’s changed its leader, replacing Andreas Seidl with former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto. Where does that leave the ambitious project?Audi is preparing to enter the premier class of motorsport in 2026: Formula 1. The preparation for entering the FIA Formula One World Championship is already well underway.VW officials have previously indicated that the company was waiting for that moment. Speaking during a question and answer session on YouTube video on Monday, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess confirmed for the first time that the company’s two premium brands will enter Formula 1 from 2026.
Are Audi and Porsche joining F1?
Porsche will not join the Formula 1 grid in 2026 as it is believed to have ended its formal evaluation of a programme despite the championship still being of interest. The Volkswagen Group-owned manufacturer intended to enter F1 alongside sister brand Audi as part of the new engine regulations. Porsche’s name was not on the list of engine manufacturers confirmed for 2026, although it likely could have used rebadged Audi engines. Now, with options few and far between, Porsche will have to shelve its plans to join Formula One, at least in the medium term.Formula 1 is a highly specialized motorsport that demands cutting-edge technology and constant innovation. It’s possible that these manufacturers might not possess the specific expertise or infrastructure needed to succeed in Formula 1, so they don’t bother to do it.Now, with options few and far between, Porsche will have to shelve its plans to join Formula One, at least in the medium term. The reason 2026 is such a major point of focus for potential new entrants is the engine regulation change set for that season.Conclusion Porsche’s decision not to enter Formula 1 as a constructor is not merely one of logistical hurdles but one of carefully thought-out strategy. It focused on areas of motorsport that better aligned with their engineering philosophy and financial goals.The High Costs of Formula 1 F1 teams are also continuously innovating, another race that can result in increased expenditure without any surety of success. Porsche’s decision to forgo having an F1 team is, in part, a strategic move of not wanting to invest wildly in the highly competitive arena with undecided returns.
Is Audi replacing Alfa Romeo in F1?
Sauber will be rebranded as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber for the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, following the departure of their title sponsor Alfa Romeo. The Swiss team will operate under this banner for the next two seasons before rebranding as Audi in 2026 when they become the German manufacturer’s works squad. The company bought the Enstone-based team again in 2016 and re-branded it as Renault. The team did not win in the following five seasons and was re-branded as Alpine in 2021 with the Renault marque remaining as engine manufacturer.After more than two decades, Ford is returning to Formula 1. The iconic American automaker and Red Bull Powertrains are entering into a long-term strategic technical partnership for the development of a next-gen hybrid power unit to be used from the 2026 Formula 1 season onward.Renault are here to stay in Formula 1, but they will race on under a new name – and in new colours – from 2021 after the French manufacturer announced they will re-brand to become the Alpine F1 Team.Formerly named Renault F1 Team and owned by the French automotive company Groupe Renault as well as Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, the team was rebranded for 2021 to promote Renault’s sports car brand, Alpine, and continues to serve as Renault’s works team, a position the team will keep until Renault pulls out of .Japanese manufacturer Honda will launch a full-scale return to Formula 1 in 2026 as the works power unit supplier to Aston Martin. Honda left F1 at the end of 2021, after a seven-year stay in the sport that culminated in a drivers’ World Championship victory through Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Who’s driving for Audi F1?
Despite a turbulent couple of years with several changes of personnel at the top of the team, Audi does at least have its driver line-up confirmed for 2026, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoletto confirmed to continue their current contracts next season. German car manufacturer Audi is contracted to compete as a Formula One team and power unit manufacturer beginning with the 2026 season. Audi F1 Team will be formed through the acquisition of Sauber, with engines developed by Audi Formula Racing GmbH.On 11 October 2024, Haas F1 Team announced a technical partnership with Toyota that sees the team receive design, technical and manufacturing services from Toyota Gazoo Racing, while Ferrari would continue to provide power units and other components.News from NextGen Auto confirms that Audi has taken full ownership of Sauber Motorsport, marking a major milestone in the brand’s journey toward its 2026 Formula 1 debut. This acquisition cements Audi’s commitment to competing at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Is BMW joining the F1?
BMW returned to the top category of endurance racing in 2024 after a long hiatus. The company is also active in several other series, ranging from the German Touring Car Championship to the Superbike World Championship, but it’s been totally absent from Formula 1 for nearly two decades. Sauber to become Audi works F1 team from 2026. Audi have reached an agreement with Sauber to make the Swiss Formula 1 operation their works team from 2026.Following a poor 2009 season, BMW withdrew from Formula One and sold the team back to founder Peter Sauber.Alfa Romeo did not have any technical involvement with the team, and the company ended its sponsorship of Sauber after 2023 and left Formula One to allow the team to be taken over by Audi from 2026.Combined with the global financial recession and the company’s frustration about the limitations of the contemporary technical regulations in developing technology relevant to road cars, BMW chose to withdraw from the sport, selling the team back to its founder, Peter Sauber.
Why is Lamborghini not in F1?
Because Ferruccio Lamborghini never wanted to, either. He built his brand to represent STATUS AND LUXURY, NOT RACING. Lamborghini also doesn’t want to risk DISAPPOINTING ITS CLIENTS, since competing with giants like MERCEDES and FERRARI would be nearly impossible. With the other VW brands in F1, the executives are not going to give Lamborghini another shot. In this article, we will explore Lamborghini’s history with Formula 1 and then go into the reasons why there are no plans to get back into F1.