Audi F1 confirmed its decision to abandon...

Audi F1 confirmed its decision to abandon…stance made clear as Renault pull…read more

Renault has confirmed its decision to abandon its 2026 Formula 1 engine project, marking the end of their status as a works team and transforming their Alpine team into a customer outfit. This follows the group’s recent acknowledgment that they could no longer meet the challenge of developing a competitive F1 engine. As a result, Alpine will continue to use Renault’s current turbo-hybrid engine until the end of next season.

Despite Renault’s withdrawal from the 2026 engine competition, Audi has no intention of following suit. Audi CEO Gernot Dollner made it clear that abandoning their F1 engine project was never on the table. Audi will debut as a works team in 2026, joining the ranks of Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, and Red Bull Powertrains-Ford as engine manufacturers under the new regulations.

Audi is not only responsible for creating an entirely new F1 engine but also for transforming their newly acquired Sauber team into a competitive force. The Hinwil-based team has struggled this season, remaining the only squad yet to score points with just six races left in the calendar. However, Dollner is confident in the team’s direction, particularly with Audi F1 Chief Mattia Binotto, formerly of Ferrari, and future team boss Jonathan Wheatley at the helm.

Dollner emphasized Audi’s long-term commitment to Formula 1, noting that earlier this year, the supervisory boards of Volkswagen AG and Audi took the decision to secure 100% ownership of Sauber. Full control of Sauber will officially pass to Audi on January 1, 2025. As part of this restructuring, Dollner has also taken on a more hands-on role as chairman of the Sauber Motorsport board. He expressed confidence in the newly appointed management team led by Binotto and Wheatley, describing the leadership as a “strong dual team” with clear responsibilities both on the corporate side and at the racetrack.

Binotto, acknowledging the significant challenge Audi faces, stressed that the integration of both chassis and power unit development under the Audi banner is crucial to the project’s success. For Audi, the goal is not just to win with a championship chassis but to dominate as a complete manufacturer, with control over both the car and the engine. This dual responsibility is seen as a key element of Audi’s long-term strategy in Formula 1, aiming to compete at the highest level from 2026 onward.