FIA president hails Audi's arrival as a milestone in Formula One

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)—the governing body for world motorsport— hailed Audi's arrival at the world of Formula One as a power unit manufacturer as a milestone for the sport.

The Audi representatives confirmed that the manufacturer will compete from 2026 with a specially developed power unit. The project will be based at Audi Sport’s facility in Neuburg near Ingolstadt.

This is the first time in more than a decade that a Formula 1 powertrain will be built in Germany.

Welcoming Audi’s decision to compete at the pinnacle of single-seater racing, Ben Sulayem said: “This is a milestone for Formula 1 and the FIA. I would like to thank all of the teams involved in this announcement, at F1, at Audi and within the FIA. Today’s announcement is an endorsement of the hard work done by all stakeholders to develop the new power unit regulations for 2026. The regulations have paved the way for new entrants to the world's top motorsport category and Audi’s presence here today is a result of that.

“Motorsport is an integral part of Audi’s DNA,” says Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “Formula 1 is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory. The combination of high performance and competition is always a driver of innovation and technology transfer in our industry. With the new rules, now is the right time for us to get involved. After all, Formula 1 and Audi both pursue clear sustainability goals.”

“We will continue to actively encourage the participation of women, whether that be through our FIA Girls On Track Rising Stars programme, the presence of women in our Race Control, Operations and Technical teams, and other departments throughout the organisation.”