Audi has suggested that there will be no collaboration on the power unit front with fellow Volkswagen affiliate Porsche, with the two companies working on separate F1 engines.
Audi announced on Friday at Spa that it had officially registered as a Formula 1 engine manufacturer for 2026, although it has yet to name the team with which it will partner, with Sauber cited as the most likely candidate.
Porsche has not yet confirmed its commitment to Formula 1 from 2026, but all signs point to the Stuttgart firm building a joint venture with Red Bull.
Asked if Audi and Porsche would collaborate or share common engine componentry in the future, Audi board chairman Markus Deusman explained why that would not be the case.
"You can imagine there was a huge discussion," he said. "But we decided, as both our brands have a lot of fans and both our brands have their special character, to keep it completely separate and do two operations.
"We had several reasons [for that]. We will have different teams, and the powertrain has to be designed especially for the chassis.
"That is why we decided to split it, because we will have completely different chassis and completely different powertrains."
Audi chief technical officer Oliver Hoffmann added: "To meet the timetable, the integration work of the electrified side on the powertrain, together with the chassis, it costs time to make it in two cars.
"So it’s completely different operations, and the integration work, we will do by ourselves."
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Hoffmann admitted that Audi's knowledge and experience deficit relative to Mercedes and Ferrari in terms of F1's hybrid units will require the manufacturer to pull out all the stops to play catch-up.
Thankfully, F1's 2026 engine regulations take into account new entrants and offer the latter a few advantages.
"First of all, it is really a big challenge to get this work done [by] 2026," said Hoffmann.
"But I think we find some compromises with the rules that we are able to enter on [equal terms] with all the other competitors. And we love the challenge.
"We were able to run the Dakar, and to develop the Dakar car, which is also a very complex drivetrain, in less than one year. And I think we will be able to develop this power train also by 2026."
"Well, it's clear we are at a moment where we are," concluded Deusman. "And the others have powertrains that work already.
"But the changes in the rules were big enough for us to see a chance to step in and be competitive."
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