Audi CEO Gernot Döllner outlines ambitious F1 roadmap, aiming for competitiveness from 2028 and championship titles from 2030 onwards.
MUNICH: Audi is preparing for its Formula 1 debut in March with the ambitious goal of fighting for race wins and world championships in the near future.
CEO Gernot Döllner cited the company’s successful history in motorsport as a key reason for confidence ahead of the new venture. “Whenever Audi entered a racing series, Audi was successful,” Döllner said when the F1 concept car was unveiled.
The German manufacturer is entering the sport as a full works team after acquiring the long-standing Swiss outfit Sauber. Döllner identified the major technical rule changes for 2026 as a pivotal factor in the decision to join.
“The entry into Formula 1 was never better in the past 30 years with this rule change,” he stated, referring to new hybrid engine regulations and the introduction of a cost cap.
Audi’s F1 project manager, former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, emphasised the brand’s winning mentality. “For Audi it is not about participating but winning,” Binotto has said.
Döllner provided a clear roadmap for the team’s development and expectations in the coming years. “2026 and 2027 are challenging years. We want to be competitive from 2028 and drive for titles from 2030 onwards,” he outlined.
The team will be powered by its own in-house engine, unlike some new entrants who rely on customer power units. It has also secured additional capital for the programme from the Qatar Investment Authority as a minority stakeholder.
The livery for the new car will be formally presented on January 20. Pre-season testing for drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto begins six days later in Barcelona ahead of the season opener in Australia on March 8.
Hülkenberg, who scored his maiden podium last season, expressed cautious optimism about the project’s potential. “The fact that there’s a big brand behind it doesn’t mean that everything will work out, but the conditions are in place to be competitive as quickly as possible,” he said.
