Audi will enter Formula One from 2026 with a power unit built in Germany under new regulations, the Volkswagen premium brand announced at the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday.
Audi said it would announce by the end of the year which outfit it would be lining up with. It has been in talks with the Swiss-based Sauber Group, whose team competes under the Alfa Romeo name, according to reports by Reuters and other media.
Formula One will have a new power unit from 2026 with the focus on sustainability and a more cost-efficient future, with the Liberty Media-owned sport having a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030.
"Formula One is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory," said Audi chairman Markus Duesmann in a statement coinciding with a news conference at Spa-Francorchamps.
"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."
The new rules from 2026 will bring greater electrification and the use of advanced sustainable fuel. Power unit manufacturers will also be subject to a cost cap from next season.
Audi's power unit will be built in Neuburg an der Donau near the carmaker's headquarters at Ingolstadt, with a separate Audi Sport subsidiary being founded for the project.
Adam Baker, a motorsport veteran and former employee of Formula One's FIA governing body, will be chief executive of the Formula One project.
German rivals Mercedes build their power unit at Brixworth in central England.
Porsche, another Volkswagen Group brand, is also expected to enter Formula One in 2026 in partnership with current championship leaders Red Bull.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Meydan race card
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m
8.50pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; (D) 2,000m
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
