Audi Revolut F1 Team Set Sights on Formula One Supremacy with Ambitious 2026 Debut
Audi Revolut F1 Team have officially launched their Formula One project in Berlin, unveiling their first car ahead of the 2026 season and setting out a long-term ambition to become “the most successful team in Formula One history.” The German manufacturer take over the former Sauber operation, marking Audi’s first-ever entry into the world championship.
Team principal Jonathan Wheatley described the moment as historic. “We’re not here to mess around. It’s an ambitious project, but we’re humble. We know where we’re starting from and where we want to go,” he said. “We want to make Audi the most successful F1 team in history.”
Chief executive Gernot Döllner echoed that intent, adding that Audi’s arrival is driven by both competition and innovation. “Whenever we join a racing series, we join to win and to innovate. The ambition is to compete at the highest level and to fight for championships by 2030.”
Distinctive Livery and New-Era Identity
At the Berlin launch, Audi Revolut F1 Team revealed a striking livery featuring titanium silver, bright Audi red, and carbon black on the engine cover, with title sponsor Revolut prominently displayed. Although the car shown was a show model rather than the final race version, it symbolised Audi’s entry into Formula One at the dawn of a new regulatory era.
The team have also unveiled a slogan for their campaign: “To start something, stop at nothing.” According to project head Mattia Binotto, this reflects the mindset behind the operation — accepting setbacks as part of progress while maintaining relentless ambition. “There is much to learn. Becoming competitive means average is not an option anymore,” he said.
Leadership with Proven Pedigree
Audi’s management structure underlines the seriousness of the project. Jonathan Wheatley, formerly Red Bull’s sporting director, leads trackside operations, while Mattia Binotto, ex-Ferrari team principal, oversees the wider Audi Formula One programme.
Binotto has been realistic about expectations for the opening campaign, warning that the debut season could be “very bumpy”, particularly as Audi will manufacture their own power unit from the outset — a rare and demanding undertaking in modern Formula One. Yet he stressed that the organisation is building for long-term competitiveness rather than short-term results.
Drivers: Experience Meets Opportunity
Audi Revolut F1 Team’s first driver pairing blends experience with promise. Nico Hülkenberg brings technical depth and racecraft, while young Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto represents the future-facing nature of the project.
Hülkenberg said: “The anticipation for this day has been building for a long time. The car’s a beauty, and we’re ready to go.”
Bortoleto added: “It’s a dream coming true. It’s the chance to build something that will last in history.”
Global Operations Across Europe
The team’s chassis and race operations are based in Hinwil, Switzerland, with the power unit programme located in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany. Audi have also established a technology centre in Bicester, England, expanding their engineering footprint across Europe as they prepare for life under the 2026 regulations.
Rivals on a Changing Grid
Audi Revolut F1 Team enter a reshaped Formula One landscape in 2026. Cadillac will join as the sport’s 11th team, backed by General Motors and initially running Ferrari engines, further intensifying competition in the midfield and beyond.
Elsewhere on the grid, Racing Bulls gave their new car a private shakedown at wet Imola this week, where rookie Arvid Lindblad spun at the Villeneuve chicane, forcing a recovery truck onto the circuit. Team-mate Liam Lawson also completed limited running under strict mileage regulations. These early tests underline how challenging the transition to the new ruleset may be for even established teams — let alone newcomers like Audi.
Winning DNA and Long-Term Vision
Audi’s confidence is rooted in one of the most successful endurance racing histories in motorsport. The brand has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 13 times and claimed four World Rally Championship titles, achievements frequently cited by team leadership as proof of their competitive DNA.
Yet, as Wheatley emphasised, Formula One is a different challenge entirely. “If we’re going to start something, we’re going to finish it. We are serious, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to make this a success.”
Countdown to Melbourne
Audi Revolut F1 Team will make their competitive Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix on 8 March, following pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain. While expectations for immediate results remain measured, the intent is unmistakable: to build a championship culture, embrace the learning curve, and ultimately challenge for the sport’s highest honours by the end of the decade.
With bold ambition, heavyweight leadership, and a proven motorsport pedigree, Audi’s arrival represents one of the most significant manufacturer entries Formula One has seen in recent years — not as a guest, but as a long-term contender.
