Audi announced in late August that it would enter F1 for the first time from 2026 as a powertrain supplier, before a tie-up with Sauber was confirmed in October.
The deal will see Sauber serve as a strategic partner for the Audi team, developing the chassis from its Hinwil base in Switzerland while the power unit is supported by Audi in Neuburg, Germany.
Audi has provided further details on the expansion of its Neuburg plant to accommodate the F1 project after construction began on a new 3,000 square meter building which will house the test beds for the unit’s development power.
The building, known as F7.2, is part of an extension to its Competence Center Motorsport, which opened in 2014 and housed Audi’s factory racing operations for the World Championship endurance, Formula E and the Dakar Rally.
The extension is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024, but the first activities are expected to emerge from March next year.
The new Audi Sport F1 concept car
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“With the Competence Center Motorsport, we have an ideal base for our Formula 1 project,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Audi Board Member for Technical Development.
“Audi Neuburg was designed from the outset to be able to tackle the most demanding motorsport projects. This foresight pays off. With the existing facilities, we were able to start the Formula 1 project immediately.
“The expansion will create the infrastructure necessary for the development of our long-term F1 power unit.
“With the extension of the building and the installation of state-of-the-art test rigs, we are giving our development team the best possible conditions to succeed in the upper class of motorsport.”
Audi has been in the midst of a recruitment drive since announcing its plans for F1 and has already recruited around 220 employees. The German manufacturer has said its aim is to pass the 300 mark by mid-2023.
“Developing a power unit for the world’s most demanding racing series in Germany is a big challenge,” said Adam Baker, who oversees Audi’s F1 plans.
“We already have a great team at our factory in Neuburg an der Donau which is constantly growing.”
Audi announced in late August that it would enter F1 for the first time from 2026 as a powertrain supplier, before a tie-up with Sauber was confirmed in October.
The deal will see Sauber serve as a strategic partner for the Audi team, developing the chassis from its Hinwil base in Switzerland while the power unit is supported by Audi in Neuburg, Germany.
Audi has provided further details on the expansion of its Neuburg plant to accommodate the F1 project after construction began on a new 3,000 square meter building which will house the test beds for the unit’s development power.
The building, known as F7.2, is part of an extension to its Competence Center Motorsport, which opened in 2014 and housed Audi’s factory racing operations for the World Championship endurance, Formula E and the Dakar Rally.
The extension is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024, but the first activities are expected to emerge from March next year.
The new Audi Sport F1 concept car
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“With the Competence Center Motorsport, we have an ideal base for our Formula 1 project,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Audi Board Member for Technical Development.
“Audi Neuburg was designed from the outset to be able to tackle the most demanding motorsport projects. This foresight pays off. With the existing facilities, we were able to start the Formula 1 project immediately.
“The expansion will create the infrastructure necessary for the development of our long-term F1 power unit.
“With the extension of the building and the installation of state-of-the-art test rigs, we are giving our development team the best possible conditions to succeed in the upper class of motorsport.”
Audi has been in the midst of a recruitment drive since announcing its plans for F1 and has already recruited around 220 employees. The German manufacturer has said its aim is to pass the 300 mark by mid-2023.
“Developing a power unit for the world’s most demanding racing series in Germany is a big challenge,” said Adam Baker, who oversees Audi’s F1 plans.
“We already have a great team at our factory in Neuburg an der Donau which is constantly growing.”