Key Takeaways:
- The 2026 Audi Revolut F1 Team is fully operational with a confirmed launch, leadership structure, and testing schedule.
- The Hinwil-based Sauber foundation gives Audi a working chassis and race operation while its Neuburg power unit ramps up.
- Pre-season testing and the Melbourne season opener will offer the first real indicators of how quickly Audi can close the gap
If you’ve been following Audi F1 2026 news, you probably noticed the conversation has changed a bit. No longer is Audi a vague “future entry,” but rather the team is officially in motion, and pieces are starting to line up in the public sphere.
For fans of Honda Racing MotoGP-style long rebuilds or manufacturer-led projects, this one might feel pretty familiar. Audi is beginning to lay out a structured reset built around new 2026 regulations with a clear identity for the upcoming year.
The last year forced a lot of internal alignment across branding, staffing, facilities, and timelines. Now that the Audi Revolut F1 Team has been officially announced, fans aren’t as focused on whether Audi will succeed as on how they plan to get there.
So where does the project stand right now, and what should fans realistically watch over the next 18 months? Let’s get into it.
The Audi Revolut F1 Team Is Official
The biggest headline in recent F1 Audi news was the confirmation of the Audi Revolut F1 Team name and branding. The manufacturer announced its title partnership with the fintech company in July 2025.
The global launch, which is expected to take place in Berlin on January 20, 2026, will provide more information on the sponsor structure, leadership messaging, and long-term intent. Revolut stepping in as a title partner says quite a lot, as both companies have positioned themselves as “challenger” brands in their respective fields.
In 2026, it’s important that Audi F1 has this kind of visibility. The manufacturer has a colorful history in endurance racing and touring cars, and has leaned on brand identity and technical credibility since the quattro all-wheel-drive debuted in 1980. Formula One is no different.
Audi’s Link to the Sauber Foundation
Audi didn’t buy its way into Formula One just to start from scratch. The Sauber operation in Hinwil has been a major support for Audi F1 in 2026, and that’s very intentional. Not only will the Hinwil facility remain the primary location for building the car’s chassis and running race operations, but Sauber will also serve as team runner while Audi builds its own car and engines.
Audi initially bought a stake in Sauber with plans to increase its ownership to 100% by 2026. Through that partnership, the plan is to align infrastructure, staffing, and workflows before the regulations reset.
We hear a lot about this in Audi F1 news. Audi is looking for consistency before speed. Even the company’s Formula One “vision” of “Patience, Progress, No Instant Results” sums it up quite nicely. Over the past year, the team had been working at the Hinwil facility in collaboration with the division in Neuburg, Germany, to create a new power unit for the car.
Only recently did they complete their successful fire-up, marking the first time the new power unit was run on the chassis.
New Leadership, Structure, and Why This Isn’t a One-Season Bet
One of the quieter but more important parts of Audi F1 news in 2026 has been the clarity around leadership. Formula One projects fail more often due to organizational chaos than to a lack of funding. With restructuring under Gernot Döllner and former Red Bull stalwart Jonathan Wheatley, as well as the addition of COO Christian Foyer, the F1 project is building a sustainable success, which Mattia Binotto refers to as “Day Zero” mentality.
Binotto is now the Head of the 2026 Audi F1 Project, responsible for the overall development across all three facilities, including the power unit development at the Neuburg facility, chassis and race operations at Hinwil, and the strategic hub at the Bicester center in the UK. This new structure provides the team with better communication lines for faster decision-making as development continues.
Drivers and the New Faces of the Audi Project
Of course, drivers are especially important for a reset like this. For 2026, the Audi F1 team will have Nico Hülkenberg, who has years of Formula One experience and a shining reputation for clear, usable technical feedback, and Gabriel Bortoleto, who, in many ways, represents the long-term view with a more youthful energy. Both of them signed multi-year contracts in 2025, which says a lot about Audi’s commitment to stability.
That structural focus is showing up outside the car as well. Audi recently promoted Lee Stevenson, formerly Max Verstappen’s chief mechanic at Red Bull, to team manager. Stevenson joined Sauber in 2024 and has already been a part of Audi’s early 2026 F1 running, including its first shakedown in Barcelona.
Stevenson has an extensive background overseeing race operations during Red Bull’s dominant seasons, giving him operational know-how, especially in pit work and weekend execution.
It’s another sign that Audi isn’t rushing headlines, but rather quietly stacking the right people before the lights go out.
What to Look for Next as a Fan
If you’re following Audi’s road to F1 in 2026, we finally have something concrete to look forward to with the calendar. Beyond the launch date on January 20, 2026, the team will enter work mode a few days later for the private Barcelona test, which runs from January 26-30. During this time, we’ll get more information about systems, correlation, and reliability.
From there, two more tests will take place in Bahrain between February 11 and 20, which should show how well the new power unit behaves on longer runs.
Then comes the moment that matters most. March 6-8 in Melbourne will mark Audi’s first real race weekend.
Follow for more Audi F1 news and stock up on gear for the upcoming season. You can find official Formula One team apparel and merchandise here at CMC Motorsports®.