The moment Audi has been building toward for years has finally arrived.
Audi has officially presented its Formula 1 team, lifting the curtain on the R26 and confirming Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto as its inaugural driver lineup. With that announcement, the Sauber era formally comes to an end, and Audi steps fully into the world’s most prestigious motorsport championship.
This is not a rebrand.
This is not a transition year.
This is Audi’s arrival in Formula 1.
From Sauber to Audi: A Clean Break
After decades of presence in Formula 1 under various identities, Sauber hands over the baton. The Swiss operation now becomes the foundation of a fully fledged Audi works team, marking the German manufacturer’s long-awaited debut as an official constructor.
The unveiling of the Audi R26 represents the symbolic and practical start of that journey — the first car to carry Audi’s name, ambition, and engineering philosophy onto the F1 grid.
Experience Meets the Future
Audi’s driver choice reflects a clear strategic vision.
- Nico Hülkenberg brings experience, technical feedback, and deep Formula 1 knowledge — a stabilizing reference for a team entering uncharted territory.
- Gabriel Bortoleto represents the future: youth, momentum, and long-term potential, entrusted with growing alongside the project from its very first steps.
It is a pairing built not just to compete, but to build.

Audi’s Statement of Intent
Audi’s entry into Formula 1 is more than symbolic. It signals:
- A long-term manufacturer commitment
- A full works identity
- A new chapter in the sport’s competitive landscape
With the R26 revealed and its drivers confirmed, Audi is no longer preparing to join Formula 1.
Audi is here.
And the transformation from Sauber to Audi marks one of the most significant shifts on the grid in recent memory — the beginning of a project designed not for survival, but for ambition.
Formula 1 has a new name at the table.









