Dusseldorf Audi enters the Formula 1 racing circuit. The Ingolstadt-based VW subsidiary announced on Friday that it would be competing with a specially developed drive unit from 2026. The project will be based at the Audi Sport site in Neuburg an der Donau.
The decisive factor for Audi’s entry into Formula 1 is the change in the engine regulations, which will come into force from 2026. From then on, hybrid drives are mandatory. According to Audi, the electric unit with around 475 hp should be about as powerful as the 1.6-liter combustion engine with around 544 hp.
In addition, Formula 1 then relies on synthetic fuels, also known as e-fuels. In this way, Formula 1 wants to achieve the goal of being climate-neutral by 2030.
“With the new regulations, now is exactly the right time for us to get started. Because Formula 1 and Audi are both pursuing clear sustainability goals,” said Audi CEO Markus Duesmann.
Stefan Bratzel, Director of the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) at the Bergisch Gladbach University of Applied Sciences, sees Audi’s commitment divided. “Audi is doing a balancing act with its entry,” he says. On the one hand, the sporty element is part of the brand core of the car manufacturer. On the other hand, Audi must make a credible contribution to environmental protection, says Bratzel.
From 2026, Audi no longer wants to develop new combustion engines
The contradiction is clear: Audi’s entry into Formula 1 is opposed to a clear Group plan that stipulates that Audi will no longer add any new combustion models to its portfolio from 2026. From 2033, the carmaker even wants to sell only electric cars and ban combustion engines from the sales lists.
The head of the VW subsidiary has apparently changed his mind about e-fuels.
(Photo: IMAGO/PanoramaC)
The hybrid drives fueled with synthetic fuel alone will not make Formula 1 much cleaner. According to the world automotive association FIA, Formula 1 emits almost 260,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every season. The cars are responsible for less than one percent of that.
The logistics are the real problem, after all the racing operations travel the world all year round. 43 percent of CO2 emissions are caused by transport.
The racing series has an image problem, especially in Europe, where car manufacturers are confronted with the strictest climate protection goals. Most recently, even the German Formula 1 star Sebastian Vettel justified his exit from the racing class with the problematic environmental consequences, among other things. “We live in crucial times. How we shape the next few years is crucial. Talking is not enough. There is no alternative anymore. The race is on,” said Vettel, who is currently drawing attention to his commitment to the environment.
Formula 1 does not emit more CO2 than other sports
The contradiction between racing and environmental protection is primarily a European issue, says car expert Bratzel. “It’s different in the US and Asia. Racing still enjoys a much higher reputation here,” he says. For a global brand like Audi, an entry could therefore make sense.
A comparison with other sports also shows that Formula 1 does not stand out in terms of CO2 emissions. The three-week Tour de France causes CO2 emissions of almost 220,000 tons, a Bundesliga season around 260,000 tons. As a result of the soccer World Cup in Russia four years ago, 2.1 million tons of CO2 were emitted into the atmosphere.
Against the background of climate protection, every car manufacturer must therefore ask itself how much economic benefit an entry would bring on the one hand and how great a potential damage to image would be on the other, said Bratzel.
At Audi, economic hope obviously prevails. Audi will invest significant sums in engine development, said Duesmann, without giving specific figures. The carmaker is striving for a long-term commitment. “Our plan is to be competitive as an engine supplier within the first three years of our entry,” he said.
Which team will drive with the Audi engine in the future?
Duesmann did not want to reveal which team Audi will join forces with. Most recently, a majority stake in the Swiss racing team Sauber, which appears in Formula 1 under the name Alfa Romeo, was expected.
Originally, the VW subsidiary had tried to thread a deal with the sports car manufacturer McLaren. The Ingolstadt-based company even wanted to spend over 600 million to completely take over the British car manufacturer’s racing team. The letter of intent was already there. However, the takeover fell through at the last moment.
An entry of the sports car manufacturer Porsche, which also belongs to Volkswagen, into Formula 1 is expected shortly. Here a partnership with the Red Bull team of world champion Max Verstappen is considered agreed.
Duesmann does not consider it a problem that two brands of the Volkswagen Group will enter the racing series, invest simultaneously and independently of one another and compete against each other on the track. “As brands, Audi and Porsche each have their own character and their own fan groups.” In addition, an engine has to be adapted to a particular chassis. There is therefore hardly any overlap between the engines from Audi and Porsche.
Duesmann: “E-fuels will play a decisive role”
Duesmann’s statements about synthetic fuels were also surprising. “E-fuels will play a crucial role in climate-neutral mobility,” said the Audi boss. He follows statements by the future Volkswagen and Porsche boss Oliver Blume, who recently also spoke out in favor of the use of e-fuels.
A little over a year ago, Duesmann said that e-fuels would be a good answer to running existing combustion engines in a CO2-neutral manner. However, there is not enough green electricity to produce them. “And because of the poor efficiency, they are not a real alternative,” he told “Welt” in May 2021. In fact, e-fuels are not considered to be particularly energy-efficient overall – especially when compared to electric motors.
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