Audi 2026 F1 car launch: new R26 livery revealed – Motor Sport Magazine
Audi name will be new on the grid in 2026
Audi
Audi has revealed its Formula 1 car, ahead of the team’s much-anticipated 2026 F1 debut and more than eight decades since it last competed in grand prix racing.
The covers were pulled off the colour scheme at the launch event in Berlin, alongside drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg, as well as team principal Jonathan Wheatley and Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 project.
It completes the rebrand of Sauber into the factory Audi team; the car, to be called R26, will be powered by an Audi-developed power unit.
However, we are still waiting to see the car itself. In common with other teams, Audi revealed its livery on a show car, keeping the details of its race-spec machine under wraps until testing begins at the end of the month.
That said, its car has already had a shakedown run in Barcelona, where spy shots revealed grainy images of a bare carbon machine. Audi anticipates needing a further five years until it can challenge for championships.
You could be forgiven for thinking that you have seen this before, because this is the second livery launch that Audi has held, following on from a ‘concept’ that it unveiled last November, shown below.
That colour scheme also featured a titanium nose in a nod to the company’s motor sport past as part of Auto Union, whose Silver Arrows were pre-eminent in 1930s grand prix racing. As with the final livery, the sidepods were coated in what was described as a newly-introduced shade of red.
Audi
Powered by Audi: it’s a powerful brand statement but also a big risk
Audi
Audi
As part of Auto Union, Audi was one of the dominant forces in pre-war grand prix competition, competing for victories with Mercedes, the other Silver Arrows team. From WWII to now, it has stayed away from grand prix racing, despite a litany of success in other areas of motor sport including Le Mans, Dakar and rallying.
Nico Hülkenberg
Multi-year contract beyond 2025
Entering the 2026 season as part of Audi’s factory project, Nico Hülkenberg brings experience and technical authority to a team still establishing itself at the front of F1’s new era. The veteran was chosen to lead the German manufacturer’s efforts after taking over Sauber, and 2026 will be his 13th full season in the series.
Gabriel Bortoleto
Multi-year contract beyond 2025
After completing his rookie season with Sauber in 2025, Gabriel Bortoleto will spend his sophomore year with Audi. The young Brazilian showed plenty of promise during his first season, but will need to find more consitency in order to live up to the expectations of a manufacturer like Audi in order to secure a long-term future with the team.
Binotto took over at Sauber last year
Sauber
Mattia Binotto became Sauber’s new Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer in August 2024, replacing Andreas Seidl, who had headed the project since 2022.
The former Ferrari chief, has emphasised how much work Audi still has to do in getting up to speed with the 2026 regulations, which could well shake up the running order.
“That journey takes time, the right people, and a mindset of continuous improvement,” he said. “Formula 1 is one of the most competitive environments.
“Becoming a champion is a journey of progress. Mistakes will happen, but learning from them is what drives transformation.”
Wheatley now brings his vast experience to Audi
Sauber
Jonathan Wheatley began his F1 journey as a mechanic at Benetton, eventually rising to become Red Bull‘s sporting director.
The Brit was part of the migration of senior staff the away from Red Bull in early 2024 following the Christian Horner‘s workplace misconduct allegations (since dismissed).
Wheatley was announced as Sauber’s new team principal last year and officially joined in April 2025, leading the outfit in its transformation into Audi.
“Our project is more than building a team,” said Wheatley at Audi’s livery reveal. It is about shaping the future of F1 – with talent, visionary partners and the transformation of the Audi brand. We have a mindset that dares to redefine what a racing team can be.”
Watch one of the most anticipated car launches of the 2026 F1 season on Friday morning: live stream the reveal of Ferrari’s SF-26
Alpine unveils its 2026 livery in Barcelona on Friday as the team attempts to rebuild credibility after a disastrous last-place finish in 2025
As Mercedes prepares to unveil its 2026 F1 car, the question is whether a new rules reset can once again place it a decisive step ahead – as it did in 2014
In the first of two 2026 F1 car launches, Mercedes has released images of its new W17 car and distinctive striped livery
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