Audi have good news on F1 project: 2026 engine is already on the test bench

Audi have been working for more than two years on the powerplant it will use to appear on the F1 grid in 2026. The specially founded Audi Formula Racing GmbH (AFR) in Neuburg an der Donau are responsible for the development of the F1 hybrid powertrain and say it has successfully completed the installation phase.

Together with the facility in Hinwil, the Neuburg-based team will form the future factory team with which Audi will compete in the premier class first in 2026. On the power unit front, Audi say major progress has been made.

F1 engine Audi for 2026 already on the test bench

"After just two years, our Power Unit, consisting of a combustion engine, electric motor, battery and control electronics, is running dynamically on the test bench. Successfully marrying the various components into a single unit is the result of hard work and great teamwork," says Baker.

"The Audi Power Unit has already covered simulated race distances on the test bench. We gained a lot of testing time with the individual components in 2023 and were able to incorporate the experience gained into the next construction stages in parallel. Significant milestones and goals have been achieved, which gives the entire team a good feeling," added the AFR CEO.

Audi enthusiastic about progress in F1 project

Dreyer is also enthusiastic about Audi's progress. "We implemented a very ambitious modernization and expansion of our test facility. Today, we have 22 state-of-the-art test benches at the site. Our new development tools are state-of-the-art and have enabled us to achieve a steep learning curve," says AFR's CTO.

"By testing on the test bench under simulated racing conditions we gain important insights in this phase of the project. After the successful race distances with the Power Unit we will soon be doing the same with the entire drive system, which means the combination of Power Unit and transmission. At the same time, we are going full throttle with performance development in order to achieve the goals we have set ourselves," Dreyer continued.

On these F1 circuits Audi have run simulated tests

Audi have run simulated race distances on different F1 circuits, depending on the purpose of the test. "For example, Las Vegas is interesting for our development team in terms of overall energy management," Dreyer explained. "Several alternating fast and slow corners and almost two kilometers of full throttle driving on the Las Vegas Strip provide the perfect development environment for fine-tuning the combustion engine and the ERS (Energy Recovery System) components."

Baker also emphasizes that the simulations with the new engine make Audi feel that 2026 is already very close: "Hearing the Audi Power Unit being simulated today on tracks like Spielberg, Singapore or Las Vegas, not only gives everyone involved goosebumps, but also gives us the feeling that we are a big step closer to our first race in 2026."