How Formula 1’s Audi coup has been realised
Formula 1 has pulled off a major coup in encouraging Audi to join the series as an engine manufacturer from the 2026 season. It speaks to the surge in popularity F1 is enjoying. This is how it came to pass and how the famous German marque will tackle its new challenge
Formula 1 has watched its TV and trackside audiences explode, revenues rocket and truly cracked America off the back of its Liberty Media buyout and Netflix-led popularity boom. But since the takeover and ‘Drive to Survive’ first airing on 8 March 2019, the series hasn’t charmed the automotive market anything like as emphatically. In the same period, Honda even pulled out as an engine supplier and the arrival of the Alpine and Aston Martin names were rebrands of existing outfits only.
That’s now changing courtesy of the second-biggest car conglomerate in the business: the Volkswagen Group. One of the poorer kept F1 secrets has now been confirmed, with Audi leapfrogging sister marque Porsche to reveal its grand prix commitment for 2026 and beyond.
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