Audi accelerates towards 2026: engine already on the bench and chassis ready for December

Jonathan Wheatley has revealed new details about Audi’s Formula 1 project, focusing in particular on the development of the 2026 engine. With the next regulatory revolution approaching, the German manufacturer is already working at full speed, and the Sauber team principal gave an update during the press conference in Baku.

The engine is already on the test bench

Wheatley confirmed that Audi’s new power unit is already undergoing testing. “We are on schedule with the program on the test bench. The engine has been running for a while now, and the current focus is on reliability,” he explained.

He underlined the importance of this stage in development: “Reliability will be crucial because the new-generation cars will be extremely complex. Even the smallest detail can make the difference.”

Integration with the chassis

The next major step will come at the end of the year. “In December we will assemble the chassis and the power unit together for the first time,” Jonathan Wheatley revealed. This will be the key moment when the two fundamental elements of the project finally come together, marking an important milestone for Audi’s F1 debut.

At the same time, work on the simulator is already focused on the 2026 regulations. “Our simulator program is now oriented towards the future specifications, although it is still too early to draw conclusions. It is too soon to talk about performance. We will not really know until we are on track, and in fact, we will only have concrete answers after the first qualifying session and the first race in Melbourne in 2026.”

An exciting challenge

The team principal also described the atmosphere inside the Audi facilities in Hinwil and Neuburg: “It is a very exciting period for the Audi F1 project. We are entering the stage where all efforts are converging: power unit, chassis, and simulator. It is a complex journey but also an inspiring one, because we are truly working on the car of the future.”

With these statements, Jonathan Wheatley confirmed that Audi is not only on schedule but also turning its ambitious Formula 1 debut into a tangible reality, with the engine already alive on the test bench and the full car concept rapidly taking shape.