Audi To Partner With Sauber For F1 Campaign
A new strategic partnership between Audi and Sauber will see the traditional Swiss racing team competing as the Audi factory team from 2026.
Oct 27, 2022
Audi announced in August it will join F1 as a power unit supplier when new regulations that feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels will be introduced in four years.
The team race engine will be created at Audi’s Motorsport Competence Centre in Germany, while Sauber will develop and manufacture the race car in Switzerland. Sauber will also be responsible for planning and executing race operations.
The next important milestone on the road to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship has been completed:
Audi has selected Swiss Formula 1 operation Sauber as a strategic partner for the project and plans to acquire a stake in the Sauber Group. The partnership will see the traditional Swiss racing team competing as the Audi factory team from 2026 onwards using the power unit developed by Audi for the pinnacle of motorsport.
The German manufacturer announced in August they will join F1 as a power unit supplier when new regulations that feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels will be introduced in four years.
Sauber is currently partnered with the Alfa Romeo team: an agreement which will end at the conclusion of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Audi says the confirmation of its new strategic partner marks the next milestone in the company’s entry into the premier class of motorsport.
With around 30 years of competitive experience, Sauber is one of the most renowned teams in Formula 1. While the power unit will be created at Audi’s Motorsport Competence Centre in Neuburg an der Donau, Sauber will develop and manufacture the race car at its site in Hinwil, Switzerland. Sauber will also be responsible for planning and executing the race operations.
“We are delighted to have gained such an experienced and competent partner for our ambitious Formula 1 project,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board for Technical Development at Audi AG.
“We already know the Sauber Group with its state-of-the-art facility and experienced team from previous collaborations and are convinced that together we will form a strong team.”
Audi Sport has already regularly used the Sauber Group’s high-tech wind tunnel in Hinwil during the successful Le Mans era and during the development of the Class 1 touring car for the DTM.
Sauber Chairman of the Board of Directors Finn Rausing added: “Audi is the best strategic partner for the Sauber Group. It is clear that we share values and a vision, and we look forward to achieving our common goals in a strong and successful partnership.”
Sauber Motorsport CEO and Team Principal Fred Vasseur said: “The partnership between Audi AG and Sauber Motorsport is a key step for our team as we continue to make progress towards the front of the grid.
“To become Audi’s official works team is not only an honour and a great responsibility: it’s the best option for the future and we are fully confident we can help Audi achieve the objectives they have set for their journey in Formula 1.”
Formula 1 has committed to taking a big step towards sustainability with new regulations that will come into effect from 2026. Audi says this was an important prerequisite for the company to decide to enter the championship.
The revised power units will be more efficient than they are today, as the proportion of electric power will increase significantly. The electric drivetrain will then have nearly as much power as the internal combustion engine, which comes to 400kW (544hp). The highly efficient 1.6-litre turbocharged engines will be powered by sustainable synthetic fuel that is CO2-neutral (according to EU standards). Formula 1 has also set itself the goal of being CO2-neutral as a racing series by 2030.