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Audi Unveils the R26, Its First Formula 1 Challenger

Audi revealed the R26 in Berlin as the first car of the Audi Revolut F1 Team. Here are its published specifications, drivers and the company’s stated goals.
Entry536 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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Audi’s first Formula 1 race car is the R26, revealed in Berlin on January 20, 2026, as the first car of the Audi Revolut F1 Team. Audi describes it as a 770-kilogram hybrid monoposto with around 1,000 hp of system output. Those are manufacturer specifications, not an indication of how competitive the car will be on track.

What Audi revealed in Berlin

The R26 is Audi’s first Formula 1 race car and the debut car of the Audi Revolut F1 Team. The name combines Audi’s motorsport-associated “R” designation with “26,” referring to the 2026 model year, according to Audi’s R26 model page. The Berlin unveiling on January 20 followed the R26 Concept preview in Munich on November 12, 2025. The concept previewed the design identity; it was not the final race-car launch. Audi’s entry announcement described the concept palette as Titanium, Carbon Black and Audi Red, while the launch materials highlighted Titanium and Audi Red for the team identity.

Audi presented the car as a purpose-built single-seat racing machine, not a road-going model. Its published specifications describe a carbon-fiber monocoque, active front and rear aerodynamics, and a hybrid system with combustion and electric drive contributing almost equally to the output. These are official design and specification claims; they do not establish measured performance in competition.

Audi R26 specifications

Item Published specification Source and qualification
Vehicle type Monoposto (single-seat race car) Audi model page
Weight 770 kg Audi model page; no measurement conditions stated
Monocoque High-strength carbon fiber Audi model page
Aerodynamics Active front and rear aerodynamics Audi model page
Hybrid system output Around 1,000 hp Audi model page; approximate system figure
Power split Combustion and electric drive almost 50:50 Audi model page; described as an approximate split
Combustion engine 90-degree, 1,600 cc V6 Audi Revolut F1 Team 2026 press pack
MGU-K maximum power 350 kW (470 hp) Team 2026 press pack; maximum power specification
Hybrid system Energy-recovery system Team 2026 press pack

The figures come from Audi’s model overview and team press materials, not independent testing. In particular, the approximate system-output figure and the MGU-K maximum-power figure describe different aspects of the hybrid system; they should not be treated as interchangeable measures.

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Who will drive for Audi in 2026?

Audi’s launch introduced Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil and Nico Hülkenberg of Germany as the team’s 2026 drivers. The organization was presented as the Audi Revolut F1 Team, with Titanium and Audi Red as key identity colors. The Berlin launch release also announced that the fan collection would be available through the team website and adidas.

How Audi is organizing its Formula 1 effort

Audi describes its project as a works-team effort, combining the car operation with its own power-unit program. Its stated locations divide the work across three sites:

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Audi F1 Project Head Mattia Binotto called entering as a full works team “our single greatest asset” in Formula 1’s report on the launch. That is the project leadership’s view of the team structure, not evidence of a guaranteed performance advantage.

Why Audi chose the 2026 rules change

Audi has said the 2026 technical framework helped make this the right moment to enter as both a manufacturer and a team. Its announcement pointed to a greater electric contribution in the hybrid power unit and the use of novel fuels derived from synthetic and renewable biological sources. Audi also said it had worked with bp on the fuel program since 2022. This is Audi’s rationale for the timing, not proof that the new framework will make its car more competitive.

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In its January 2026 launch-era description, Audi said the cars would use active front and rear wings and an electric boost mode, replacing the previous DRS approach. Those details reflect the company’s account of the upcoming rules and systems at launch; they should not be read as a complete or independently verified explanation of every 2026 regulation.

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Audi’s 2030 target is an ambition, not a result

Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said in the company’s November 2025 announcement: “By 2030, we want to fight for the World Championship title.” That sets out the company’s stated ambition. It is not a forecast, a guarantee, or an achieved result, and the launch specifications alone cannot show how quickly the team will become a title contender.

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The same announcement framed Formula 1 as part of Audi’s wider company renewal, calling the series a potential “catalyst” for becoming “leaner, faster and more innovative.” Audi also cited more than 820 million Formula 1 fans and around 1.6 billion TV viewers in 2024. Those are Audi-reported audience figures; the release does not provide the underlying study methodology, so they should be understood as company-reported estimates rather than independently verified measurements.

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