Audi R26 Specs, Livery, and Engine Details: Full 2026 F1 Guide

Audi R26 Specs, Livery, and Engine Details: Full 2026 F1 Guide

The checkered flag is about to fall on the 2025 Formula 1 season but already, the spotlight is shifting forward. Because in 2026, Audi makes its official debut on the F1 grid. Not as a sponsor. Not as an engine partner. But as a full-fledged constructor.

And now, for the firs t time, we’ve seen what it will look like: the Audi R26 Concept a bold preview of the car that will carry Audi’s name into motorsport’s highest class, backed by a revolutionary new brand identity.

Forget silver or traditional gray, Audi is launching its F1 chapter in fire.

The R26 Concept features a striking new color scheme built around:

• Titanium
• Carbon Black
• Audi Red, performance-focused crimson

Most eye-catching? The red-ringed livery, where the iconic four rings blaze in red across the nose and sidepods.

This isn’t just paint. It’s a statement.

The R26 is a pioneer for our new brand identity," Audi says. "It will shape not only the F1 team but the entire company’s future visual language.

Expect echoes of this design the materials, the tones, the minimalism to ripple through Audi’s production vehicles starting in the coming years.

Audi R26 Specs, Livery, and Engine Details: Full 2026 F1 Guide

Audi didn’t buy its way in it engineered its entry.

After acquiring the Sauber Group in 2022, Audi immediately began developing its own F1 power unit, including:

• The 1.6L turbocharged V6 engine
• Full energy recovery system (ERS)
• Transmission and hybrid integration

While next year’s cars will still use the current chassis under the "Kick Sauber" banner, 2026 marks the true beginning of the Audi era with the R26 being the first fully factory-developed machine under German leadership.

To lead this high-stakes effort, Audi has assembled a dream team:

• Mattia Binotto – Former Ferrari Team Principal, now overseeing technical development
• Jonathan Wheatley – Ex-Red Bull Sporting Director, leading operations and race execution

Their mission: transform a midfield squad into a championship contender.

On track, continuity reigns at least for now.

• Nico Hülkenberg returns for another year
• Gabriel Bortoleto, rookie standout, keeps his seat

Both drivers will race under the Audi banner when the lights go out in Melbourne.

Fans won’t have to wait long.

The public gets its first live glimpse of the Audi-powered machine during pre-season testing in Bahrain this February followed by its official racing debut at the Australian Grand Prix in March.

Though the final aerodynamic package remains under wraps, the concept hints at a clean, aggressive silhouette shaped by cutting-edge CFD and wind tunnel work.

Audi R26 Specs, Livery, and Engine Details: Full 2026 F1 Guide

Despite massive investment and ambition, Audi is staying grounded.

"We are not entering Formula 1 just to be there," said CEO Gernot Döllner. "We want to win."

But we know you don't become a top team overnight. It takes time, perseverance, and tireless questioning of the status quo.

By 2030, Audi aims to be fighting for World Championship titles and they might have better odds than expected.

With all-new technical regulations arriving in 2026, leveling the playing field, even past champions are resetting. That gives Audi unburdened by legacy designs a rare opportunity to leapfrog the competition early.

Still, building a culture of winning takes more than money, it takes discipline, resilience and patience.

Make no mistake: Audi’s F1 program isn’t just about trophies, it’s about transformation.

The lessons learned in F1 electrification, thermal efficiency, lightweight engineering will feed directly into Audi’s next generation of high-performance EVs, reinforcing its shift from luxury automaker to technology-driven mobility leader.

Read also: 2026 Nissan Pathfinder Specs, Price, and Release Date: Full Breakdown