As the 2025 Formula 1 season draws to a close, all attention is already turning to the new era. The Audi logo will be seen on the track for the first time in 2026. Following its acquisition of the Sauber Group in 2022, the German manufacturer entered the sport and has now unveiled the R26 Concept, representing this new beginning. This concept reveals the fundamental design that will shape both the racing world and the brand’s future.
Audi arrives with a Formula 1 car
The R26 Concept is more than just a Formula 1 car design for Audi; it marks a significant turning point for its entire brand identity. The design is created using a combination of titanium, carbon black, and the new Audi red.
The brand’s iconic four rings have also been reinterpreted in red for the first time. Audi describes this new look as “a precursor to the brand’s future identity” and says the design will be gradually adopted across both the Formula 1 team and other Audi models.
Audi’s Formula 1 journey begins with the completely redesigned power unit. The team designed all components, including the 1.6-liter turbo V6 engine, energy recovery system, and transmission, in Germany.
The team’s management team includes two familiar names in motorsports: former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto and former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will be in the drivers’ seats.
We’re just a short time away from seeing Audi’s first Formula 1 car on track. The R26 will make its debut at the Bahrain testing grounds in February, followed by its debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in March.
