F1: Audi Acquires Stake In Sauber Ahead Of Planned F1 Entry in 2026

Last year, Audi announced that it is set to enter Formula 1 once the new engine regulations kick-in in the 2026 season. Audi followed up on that announcement by announcing a strategic partnership with Sauber, where the Swiss outfit will become Audi works team from the 2026 onwards. Now, Sauber has announced that Audi has acquired a minority stake in the Sauber Group. A statement from Sauber Group said “We're pleased to announce that, as per the plans outlined in October last year, Audi acquired a minority stake in the Sauber Group in January 2023.” “This is an important milestone on the way to Audi’s entry in Formula 1, scheduled for 2026, for which the Sauber Group will be the German brand’s strategic partner.”

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Audi will enter Formula 1 in 2026 with the Sauber Group.

2026 will see new regulations, specifically on the engine front. The engines will get a much more powerful electric support to the internal combustion engine, and the engine itself will run on 100% sustainable fuels, which will be made out of CO₂ in the atmosphere & water, thereby being carbon-neutral.

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Sauber F1 Team currently operates under the ‘Alfa Romeo F1 Team’ banner.

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As for Sauber, the Swiss group is set to end its contract with Alfa Romeo after the end of the 2023 season, and it remains to be seen what name it will operate under in the 2024 & ‘25 seasons. Alfa Romeo F1 team (Sauber) finished P6 in the constructors standings in the 2022 season with veteran driver Valtteri Bottas & rookie Zhou Guanyu behind the wheel, and the team is looking to build on the result this year. The group has also appointed ex-McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl as the CEO. Currently, the team gets its powertrains from Ferrari, and that may not change until Audi’s inception in 2026. Apart from Audi, Cadillac is also looking to enter Formula 1 and has signed a strategic partnership with Andretti Global for a completely new ground up operation, but it remains to be seen if and when it comes to fruition.