Audi sets out three-year plan to be 'competitive' in F1

Audi's quest to become successful in Grand Prix racing will follow a three-year plan from 2026 according to the manufacturer's Formula 1 boss Adam Baker.

After years of speculation surrounding the Ingolstadt firm's F1 ambitions, Audi finally confirmed last summer its entry among motorsport's elite.

The German manufacturer will grace the grid from 2026 when F1 introduces its new power unit cycle and will partner with Sauber who will design the chassis that will be powered by Audi's hybrid engine produced at its Neuburg factory that is currently under construction.

A former BMW Motorsport man who worked in F1 as a race team engineer for BMW Williams F1 team and then the BMW Sauber F1 team, Baker moved to Audi in 2021 where he developed the technical, strategic, operational and financial concept for the brand’s first involvement in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The Aussie who became a German citizen in 2018 reports directly to Oliver Hoffmann, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG.

Speaking to Spain's AS, Baker said there was no single reason that decided Audi to enter F1 but its clear that the sport's push towards electrification was cruciaal in attracting the four-ring brand.

"There is no single reason, there are several factors that have aligned to make it extremely attractive for manufacturers, in particular for Audi," he explained.

"F1 is in a transition period with a sustainable concept for the championship. With new rules, which will introduce innovative power units focused on the electrical part, plus sustainable fuels, it is aligned with Audi’s future strategy, directed towards electric mobility.

"Also, F1 has increased in popularity. It is by far the best media and marketing tool in the motorsport world, and one of the best in any industry.

"At the same time, F1 has achieved cost reduction and that makes it even more attractive. The engines of 2026 will have a spending ceiling and that, in addition to limiting costs, provides certainty about long-term budgets.

"If you want a fantastic platform to demonstrate your competence and knowledge 24 times a year, this is the best place."

Read also:

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• Seidl appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sauber Group

Baker said that Audi's game plan in F1 is for its team to be winning races within three years of its entry into the sport.

"We want to be competitive in three years," he said. "It is a realistic goal. We want to compete for wins in the third year."

For now, Audi has no plans to supply its future power unit to other teams in F1, but that could change in the future insists Baker.

"We may be required by the FIA to supply engines according to the regulations," he said.

"If that happens, we would be prepared, for sure. But right now, we are not looking for a client team, it’s too early for that. We will focus on our programme as a factory."

Taking on the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda is no small task for Audi. But Baker says the German manufacturer is well aware of the complexities of the challenges that await it.

"We are aware of the challenge that lies ahead," Baker said. "It is attractive for Audi to enter 2026 because we decided on it ahead of time. We have 42 months until the first race.

"In the last 30 years, it must be one of the most advanced decisions of any manufacturer.

"In addition, in 2026 a regulatory cycle begins, when usually others have entered in the middle of a cycle.

"The power units will change, but also the chassis. In some ways, it can reset the advantage of experienced competitors in the past, and makes it easier for new builders to be competitive.

"Now the long-term work begins, the development of the power unit within the new rules.

"The FIA will continue to work with the teams for the 2026 chassis rules, which may be significantly different, and those I hope will be published in their first version at the end of 2023, perhaps finalised in 2024.

"Then we will start the chassis work, we will align the two things and the tests will begin in 2025 and the competition in 2026."

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