Down to business

The covers have officially come off the new Audi Resolute F1 car and team livery at a major event in Berlin overnight, signalling the start of a whole new era for the brand. Sleek, simple and elegant, the Audi R26 as it will look on track for the brand’s inaugural Formal 1 season remains true to the show car revealed late last year. Slight changes to the colour scheme and of course the addition of the sponsor decals turn the concept into reality, and what will be a striking vehicle to follow on the track this year.

At the spectacular event held at Berlin’s Kraftwerk, what started with an announcement back in 2022 come into sharp focus and what Audi Resolute F1 Team Principal, Jonathan Wheatley, calls the ‘manifestation of a dream’.

“We've been talking about the Audi Formula 1 project. Well, today it feels like the Audi Revolut Formula 1 team. It's real, it's here,” he said at the launch event.

Held against a backdrop of light and sound, the reveal also drew on the brand’s illustrious motorsport past, with stirring images of of Audi vehicles across all types of motorsport illustrating just how successful the brand has been throughout its history and setting the stage for this next chapter. 

Joined on stage by Audi CEO Gernot Dollner, head of the Audi F1 project Mattia Binotto and of course drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg, Wheatley’s pride and excitement were obvious at what is another milestone for the fledgling team. But the significance for the brand over all ion what comes next transcends motorsport.

“Today marks more than a launch – it marks the public declaration of a new era for Audi,” Gernot Dollner said.

“Formula 1 is the most demanding stage in the world of motorsport, and we are here not just to compete, but to define the future of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’.”

To that end, the Audi Resolute F1 Team will showcase the brand’s expertise across multiple disciplines, with every aspect of the car developed and produced in-house. From the all-new hybrid drive unit to the chassis, this is truly a factory works team in the truest sense which already sets Audi apart from many of its competitors.

“We have spent the last few years meticulously building not just a power unit in Neuburg but laying the foundations for a technical organisation that binds our chassis development in Hinwil and Bicester,” says Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 project.

“This seamless integration gives us total control over our destiny, eliminating compromises and enabling a level of agility and innovation that is essential for success.” He says.

“This is what makes Audi Revolut F1 Team one vision, controlling every variable from the engine block to the front wing.”

The overwhelming sentiment of the night other than excitement, was that of just how seriously everyone involved takes the challenges ahead. That was seen earlier in the year when the Audi Resolute F1 Team, which was the last to join for the season ahead, became the first to hit the track in a closed filming session in Barcelona in early January. That followed the successful fire-up of the Audi Power Unit installed in the chassis for the first time.

For the drivers too, the challenge ahead is both very real and tremendously exciting.

“It’s nice to see it become a reality after all of the build-up and the anticipation,” says Nico Hulkenberg, who is now keen to get out on the track and get to work.

“At the beginning it’s all about learning,” he says of what lies ahead with testing.

“It’s a completely new car … obviously huge challenges and everything new on the power unit side as well, we’ve got the SLM (Straight Line Mode), all the energy management as well, so there’s so many subjects to understand and wrap your head around so it’s going to be a busy couple of weeks ahead.”

And that’s just the start of it, and everyone involved understands that that’s part and parcel of competing at the very pinnacle of motorsport and Audi as a brand is all in.

“We’re not here to mess around.” Wheatley says of the next steps for the team.

“It’s an ambitious journey, and we’re humble. We know where we’re starting from, but we know where we want to go and we want to get this team ready.”

Now it’s down to business with private testing in Barcelona in just over a week, followed by texting in Bahrain in February which will mark the first time the car is officially seen on the track by the public.

A further testing session will follow later in February, also in Bahrain, before all eyes turn to Australia and Melbourne’s famous Albert Park Grand Prix circuit for the first race of the season, the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026, 6-8 March.