Many of the most famous names in motoring are synonymous with Formula 1: The likes of Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin are all there, even if they do so alongside a team named after an energy drink.
A name hitherto missing from the list has been Audi, although the maker is no stranger to motorsport; it has a 40-year association with rally car racing, including events like Le Mans and the Paris-Dakar Rally.
Nonetheless, the announcement that Audi is to enter F1 marks new ground. The reason for this is that the shift from gas-guzzling cars to hybrids has opened up the possibilities for new entrants to the sport to bring their precision engineering skills in this area to bear. In this case, Audi will be developing a hybrid power unit supplier from 2026.
Audi has made very public and prominent its commitment to developing electric and hybrid cars, via its “Future is an Attitude” programme. While so much of its engineering developments will feed back into the cars seen on every highway, it is clear it sees now as the perfect time to bring its expertise in this area into Formula 1 as the sport embraces sustainability.
Speaking at the press conference in Belgium to announce the news, chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG Markus Duesmann highlighted this point, commenting: “With the new rules, now is the right time for us to get involved. After all, Formula 1 and Audi both pursue clear sustainability goals.”
Audi will continue its sustainability drive in its other vehicles as well as it continues to be a big name in rally car events. But with its entry into F1, the company has highlighted the way a drive for change in the sport will open up new opportunities for the firms that make the fastest progress in developing electric and hybrid technology.