A historic moment for the four rings: the Audi Revolut F1 Team was officially unveiled in Berlin on Tuesday evening. Nearly 400 guests witnessed the first public appearance of Audi’s factory Formula 1 team at the Kraftwerk event location in the heart of the German capital.
“Today, a lot of pieces of the puzzle are coming together,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Motorsport AG. “It’s impressive to see how the intensive preparation is paying off. For the first time, the full power of the project is on display. We are ready and excited to inspire people around the world by taking part in Formula 1.”
Audi is set to make its debut at the pinnacle of motorsport in Australia on March 8. The Audi R26 is powered by the AFR 26 Hybrid power unit developed at Neuburg an der Donau. It was fired up in the chassis for the first time shortly before Christmas at the Hinwil site. On January 9, the team completed its first rollout at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain during a filming day.
Formula 1 enters its 77th season in 2026 with largely new technical regulations, including active aerodynamics and a new “boost mode” replacing DRS. At the push of a button, boost mode delivers maximum additional electric power and can be used for overtaking or defending. With up to 350 kW, the electric motor delivers almost as much power as the approximately 400 kW 1.6-liter V6 turbo engine, which runs on sustainable fuel. Audi is working exclusively with the British company bp in this area.
Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley and Mattia Binotto, Head of the Audi F1 Project, also presented the new livery, partners, and team apparel in Berlin. The drivers introduced for the 2026 season were Gabriel Bortoleto (Brazil) and Nico Hülkenberg (Germany), who will wear the newly revealed team clothing and race overalls. The accompanying fan collection launches February 19 via the team’s website and adidas. A dedicated visual identity introduces Titanium—referencing Audi’s motorsport tradition—and the newly introduced Audi Red.
The staging also featured historic Audi race cars and the Audi RS e-tron GT performance, with a system output of 680 kW (925 hp). Next milestones include a closed-door shakedown in Barcelona (January 26–30) and official tests in Bahrain (February 11–13 and February 18–20), ahead of Audi’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix season as part of the brand’s strategic realignment.
