The premier class of motorsport will not only present a completely new look thanks to radical rule changes, but Audi will also start for the first time with a factory team, officially named “Audi Revolut F1 Team,” the Ingolstadt-based company announced on Monday.
Revolut is a London-based financial company that has been known since July as the future title sponsor of the racing team. The official logo, featuring the four rings as the central element, was also unveiled. “The presentation of the name and logo for the Audi Revolut F1 Team is another important milestone on our way into the premier class of motorsport. Both elements give our ambitions a clear identity and reflect a strong vision and innovative spirit,” explained Gernot Döllner, Audi CEO.
Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley also mentioned an “important milestone that energizes the entire project and makes our long-term ambitions tangible for everyone involved. Today, our project receives its official identity.”
The newcomer is on schedule with preparations for the 2026 season. A few days ago, the first completely new power units were delivered from Neuburg to Hinwil, where the Sauber team, which Audi acquired, manufactures the chassis.
Before Christmas, the so-called “Fire-up”—the first start-up of the power unit in the new car—will take place in Switzerland. For this, around 300 employees of the Formula 1 team from Neuburg will travel to Hinwil, where over 1,000 members of both teams will witness the “wedding” of the chassis and the engine, as Audi informed our newspaper.
World Premiere of the Car on January 20 in Berlin
For the global public, the exciting new chapter in the company’s illustrious motorsport history will become tangible for the first time on January 20. On that day in Berlin, the final livery of the future car for the 2026 season will be presented, and fans will be able to see the premiere a day later—the exact venue is currently kept secret. Back in November, Audi presented the R26 concept in Munich, showing a preliminary design of the first Audi car in the premier class of motorsport. The concept car featured titanium, carbon black, and red colors. Creative Director Massimo Frascella noted in Munich that the Ingolstadt-based company wants to have the “most noticeable” car on the race track.
At the world premiere in Berlin, the car will be presented in its final form, including sponsors. Adidas will also present the official team apparel in the capital. “The presentation in Berlin will be the first moment when we all come together as a team for the first time and invite our fans from all over the world to join us even before our 2026 debut,” said Project Leader Mattia Binotto.
Testing Starts January 26 in Barcelona
Less than a week later, the first test runs will begin at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. The tests for the 2026 season will commence on January 26 without public access; each racing team is allowed to be on the track for three out of five days. Audi’s first public tests will take place from February 11 to 13 at the Bahrain International Circuit, which will also host the dress rehearsal from February 18 to 20, before the Ingolstadt team makes its debut in the first Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, on March 8.
The presentation in Berlin will be the first moment when we all come together as a team for the first time. — Mattia Binotto
It will then become clear how successful the transformation of Sauber into Audi has been, how well the complex interaction of the chassis and engine, which were developed in two different locations, works, and how Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto perform in the Ingolstadt team’s inaugural season in the premier class as a factory team.
But the 2026 World Championship will also be a huge surprise for the other ten teams. Following the biggest rule revolution in the modern history of Formula 1, the electrical component of the hybrid power unit will increase to almost 50 percent, with the rest provided by the internal combustion engine. 100 percent sustainable fuel will be used to generate electricity, and the cars will become narrower and lighter.
As a newcomer, Audi is banking on a level playing field due to the new rules and is pursuing ambitious goals: the new team should become a title contender within a few years, and by 2030, the Ingolstadt team wants to fight for the F1 crown, as Döllner reported in November: “Either we do it properly, or we don’t do it at all,” the Audi boss announced.
Source: DK
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