In 2026, F1 will welcome a new generation of cars powered by overhauled engines. For some teams, 2025 will be a transitional year. One such team is the current Sauber outfit, which will become Audi next year. The Technical Director has already downplayed expectations, explaining that the ambitions of the German manufacturer for its debut are anything but high.
The former Ferrari Team Principal is ready to take on a new challenge about to begin. Next year, Audi will join F1 by taking over the current Sauber team. As a result, the Maranello squad will lose a customer team, since the German outfit will produce its own power units.
The engines that will power the cars from next year will be radically different from those seen so far, both in terms of components and the fuels used. For months now, there have been rumors of teams that are more optimistic and others less so—what are Audi’s prospects?
Mattia Binotto, currently Sauber’s Technical Director, first emphasized how difficult it is to design an F1 car. “Producing power units—I know this well, having been an engine engineer—is much more complex and complicated than one might imagine when watching races as a spectator.”
Feet on the ground when thinking about the 2026 engines
All teams are preparing for the upcoming season, but Audi doesn’t appear to have high ambitions. “We are focused on ourselves. We know that 2026 won’t be the year we’re at the top. We won’t have the best power unit, but we’re on the right path, and I’m confident in that.”
“In 2014, when a more powerful hybrid system was introduced, it initially became a power unit championship because Mercedes had made the difference. That situation could happen again, and those who need to catch up will try to do so.” Mattia Binotto concluded, leaving the door open for a possible recovery by Audi during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Leave a Reply