Speaking at Auto Shanghai, Audi bosses have given insight into the company's progress ahead of its F1 entry in 2026, with first engine test due later this year.
Presenting its project in China for the first time, Audi CEO Markus Duesmann said: "Motorsport is an integral part of our DNA.
"We are convinced that our Formula 1 commitment will strengthen Audi's sporting focus," he continued. "The series is continuously increasing its global reach, especially among young target groups and in our most important sales market: China."
Indeed, the presentation takes place at a time the country was scheduled to be hosting the fourth round of the 2023 season, allowing Audi to give Chinese F1 fans a preview of its future involvement.
"The Audi Formula 1 project has really taken off in recent months," added Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at Audi AG. "In the ongoing concept phase of the power unit, the foundation of our drivetrain for 2026 is being laid today. We attach great importance to detail work, for example on materials or manufacturing technologies, and we also focus on topics such as the energy management of the hybrid drivetrain. After all, efficiency is a key success factor for Formula 1 and the mobility of the future, these approaches will advance both worlds."
Valuable insights in the development, for the test bench setup and validation of the measuring instruments are being provided by a single-cylinder engine that has been tested since the end of 2022.
Indeed, the first full hybrid drivetrain unit, consisting of the combustion engine, electric motor, battery and electronic control unit, is scheduled to run on the test bench before the end of the year and will form the basis for the future vehicle concept.
On top of that, the dynamic development simulator in Neuburg will be brought up to F1 standards and will further advance the development of the Audi power unit.
Meanwhile, the build-up of the team at the facility in Neuburg under the umbrella of the specially founded Audi Formula Racing GmbH is in full swing, with more than 260 employees already on board.
The core of the development team consists of experienced Audi Sport and Audi employees with many years of diverse expertise in electric motorsport.
They are joined by specialists with Formula 1 expertise who have been sourced externally and will strengthen the team in a targeted manner. By the end of the year, the hiring of staff should be completed, and the team will consist of more than 300 employees.
At the same time, the Competence Center Motorsport in Neuburg will be expanded for the project. From the second half of the year, additional test rigs for power unit development will be installed in a new building with a floor area of around 3,000 square meters. A modular design will allow the state-of-the-art test rigs to be put into operation even before the building is fully completed in early 2024. The electricity and heat supply in Neuburg is already CO2-neutral: The facility is supplied with district heating from industrial waste heat and green electricity from hydroelectric power plants. The FIA, the world governing body, has awarded the facility its three-star environmental seal of approval, the highest distinction for environmental conservation and sustainability. Audi's goal is to continue to provide CO2-neutral energy for the Formula 1 project in Neuburg and to establish a regenerative energy supply at the facility.
Sustainability plays an important role in F1, and is one of the main reasons Audi opted to enter. The regulations, which will apply from 2026, focus on greater electrification, the electric drivetrain (MGU-K) will then have almost as much power as the combustion engine.
The 1.6-litre turbocharged engines will be powered by sustainable synthetic fuel. Thanks to open competition, Formula 1 thus serves as a technology driver for both electromobility and sustainable e-fuels. In addition, the sport has set itself the goal of being carbon neutral1 as a racing series by 2030.
The focus on sustainability and cost efficiency in the form of a budget cap, the so-called "cost cap", were important factors for Audi's entry, which was officially announced at the end of August.
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