Audi is gearing up for its Formula 1 debut in 2026, and it has now revealed the livery of its F1 race car for the upcoming season. The livery was unveiled on Audi’s R26 Concept at its experience centre in Munich. Notably, the concept car just previews the colour scheme of Audi’s race car, while the car itself will debut in January 2026.
- R26 Concept shows Audi’s F1 livery
- Audi’s F1 race car will be revealed in January 2026
- 2026 F1 season will start on March 8, with the Australian GP
Audi joins the F1 grid in 2026
F1 project to spearhead Audi’s new brand identity
As mentioned earlier, the new R26 Concept model just previews the livery that will be featured on its race-ready F1 car, which will be unveiled in January 2026. The livery features a minimalist design with just three colours: red, black and silver, which is synonymous with Audi’s other customer racing endeavours, such as the GT2, GT3 and GT4 championships. However, the racecar’s livery will not be as clean as on the R26 concept, because it will feature logos of the team sponsors.
“Formula 1 will be a catalyst for the change towards a leaner, faster and more innovative Audi,” said Audi’s CEO, Gernot Dollner, during the unveiling, “We are not entering Formula 1 just to be there. We want to win.” He also added that the team is aiming for the F1 title contention by the 2030 season.
Other details of the Audi F1 team
The Audi F1 racing team will not entirely be a new team on the 2026 grid, as it has taken over Sauber. Current Sauber drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will keep their seats for next year as well, as the team transitions into Audi’s works outfit.
Jonathan Wheatley, who currently serves as the Sauber F1 team principal, will continue in the same role in the new Audi racing team. Mattia Binotto, who served the Scuderia Ferrari team as its team principal from 2019 to 2022, will act as Audi’s chief operating officer and chief technical officer.
The Audi racing team is also developing an in-house powertrain, unlike other teams, which will source their units from Honda, Mercedes-Benz, or Ferrari.
Formula 1 in 2026
New teams and new regulations
The 2026 Formula 1 season is going to commence on March 8, 2026, with the Australian Grand Prix serving as the first racing event of the calendar year. For the upcoming racing season, the FIA has directed new regulations regarding powertrain and chassis units that all teams have to follow. Alongside Audi, the US-based Cadillac racing team will also mark its F1 debut in the racing season with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their lead drivers.
Unnatee Gidithuri
