Under the lights in Berlin on Tuesday evening, Audi-Sauber pulled the covers off the vibrant livery that will carry it into Formula 1 for the first time in 2026, marking a landmark moment in the German manufacturer’s long-anticipated arrival on the grid.
The car, officially named the R26, blends Audi heritage with modern aggression: a predominantly silver base, a striking black engine cover, flashes of orange underneath and bold Revolut branding woven throughout.
It’s an elegant and stylish visual statement to match the scale of the project – one that has been years in the making since Audi’s takeover of Sauber and its rebranding announcement back in 2022.
A Project Powered By Belief
For Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto, who joined the project in 2024, the unveiling was less about paintwork and more about what it represents: total commitment from one of motorsport’s most powerful names.
“So far it has been smooth,” Binotto said of Audi’s transition into Formula 1. “Why it has been smooth? I think it's because of the commitment of Audi.
“Audi has been really very supportive since day one, day zero, really being fully committed to our project, in love with the project, I would say.
©Audi
“Once you know that you've got the full support of the brand, you've got the full support of the board and they give you the means which are required to deploy the plan, that's the most important at the end.
“And then deploying a plan, it's always, you may have good days or bad days. This is part of the job. But overall, I think so far, great.”
That confidence will be tested quickly. Audi’s debut coincides with arguably the most dramatic regulation overhaul in Formula 1 history, with smaller, lighter cars and power units split almost evenly between electric energy and internal combustion.
A Voyage of Discovery Begins
With the R26 now revealed, attention turns rapidly to the track. Pre-season testing begins next week in Barcelona, the first opportunity for Audi to measure itself against the rest of the field under the new rules.
“Everyone is hitting the track properly next week,” said technical director James Key.
“So, I think there's still a lot to learn about these cars. We'll be there, obviously, we've run already back on 9 January, so we've got a little reference point from that.
©Audi
“But it's a bit of a voyage of discovery and for us, as a new power unit company as well, we'll be concentrating on lots of laps and reliability, really.
“We need to get - for the guys in Neuburg on the engine side, they need track data. Everything apart from the 9 January when we did our filming day has been virtual or dyno.
“So we've really got to get track data for them. So we're going to be concentrating on laps. Obviously, learning a little bit about the tyres and so on. And then as we get to Bahrain, we'll see the performance side coming up.”
Read also: Audi’s Wheatley thought team principal role in F1 was ‘unattainable’Following the Barcelona test from 26–30 January, Audi will continue its preparations with two further test sessions in Bahrain in February, before the season kicks off in Melbourne on 6–8 March.
With Nico Hülkenberg’s experience and Gabriel Bortoleto’s youthful promise behind the wheel, Audi’s first chapter in Formula 1 is about to move from concept to competition.
The colours are bold, the ambition is clear – but now, the real work begins.
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