Audi F1 stance made clear as Renault pull plug on F1 2026 engine project

Despite taking on the monumental task of building an F1 engine, one that Renault recently admitted they could no longer do successfully, Audi will not pull the plug on their 2026 engine project.

That’s according to Audi CEO Gernot Dollner, who says that has never been part of the discussion.

Audi will become a works team in F1 2026

After weeks of speculation, the Renault Group confirmed earlier this month that they would abandon their 2026 F1 engine programme , giving up their Alpine team’s works status to become a customer outfit.

The statement added that Viry would continue to supply the current turbo-hybrid engine to Alpine until the end of next season.

The announcement came over three years after Alpine’s last Formula 1 Grand Prix win back in Hungary 2021. Although the team has managed podiums in the years since, the Renault power unit has consistently lagged behind rival engine manufacturers. So much so, that today Alpine is the sole team running Renault power units, with no customer teams.

But while Formula 1 has waited with bated breath to learn Renault’s decision, Renault’s decision to scrap their project hasn’t swayed Audi.

“No, that was not part of the discussion,” Dollner insisted when asked if Audi had also considered pulling the plug.

Audi will join Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, and Red Bull Powertrains-Ford as the F1 2026 engine manufacturers.

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Audi, however, faces more than just the daunting task of designing a Formula 1 engine, they’re also taking on the role of a works team having bought out Sauber.

The Hinwil squad has struggled this season and, with six races remaining, they’re the only outfit without a single point on the board.

But as Audi marches on with their 2026 preparations, Dollner is convinced that in Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto and future team boss Jonathan Wheatley, he has the leadership needed to push the team forward.

“Audi has a long-term commitment to Formula 1,” Dollner said. “Earlier this year, the supervisory boards of AG and Audi took the decision to completely get control of the Sauber shares. And so we will be as of 1st January 2025 100 percent in charge of Sauber.

“In 2025 that will happen, and myself being now chairman of Sauber, of the board of directors of Sauber Motorsport, means that I also will personally involve myself into our Formula 1 project more intensively.

“We started at the end of July to realign our management structure with clear responsibilities. I’m really happy that we found a strong, strong management for our Formula One project, with Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley.

“With a strong dual leadership team, one taking care of the operations on corporate with a project with a car and the other one handling our operations on the racetrack and being the spokesperson, we believe that we found a perfect solution for our future operations.”

As for Binotto, Ferrari’s former team boss is under no illusion about the massive challenge that Audi faces.

“It’s a huge task, but I think for Audi, it’s one of the most important ones, because being branded by our own power unit, that’s a key element of the project,” said Binotto.

“It’s a key element of our objectives, being not only a chassis winning a championship in Formula 1, but being a full manufacturer, chassis and power unit manufacturer.

“But we know that the task is huge. It’s a big investment.

“But, I think we’ve got the good people. I think there is all we need to do well and the full support. It will be down to us to earn the trust of the leaders.”

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