Audi has provided initial information on its 2026 Formula One power unit. The company had planned to contest this year’s new LMDh WEC/ IMSA category and got as far as completing a chassis. Then it had a change of heart and last summer announced instead a Formula One programme from 2026, when new power unit regulations come into force. It is duly taking over the Sauber team and used April’s Shanghai Motor Show to confirm its commitment to Formula One as a factory team from 2026.

To run the emerging Formula One programme Audi reports it has established a new company called Audi Formula Racing GmbH. This is based at Neuburg an der Donau, a stone’s throw from the company’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany. This operation is in charge of the design, build and development of the 2026 power unit and already has 260 staff. By the end of 2023 the headcount will exceed 300. It is worth noting that power unit costs will be capped in 2026.

Audi r&d chief Oliver Hoffman confirmed that the 2026 power unit is currently in the concept phase. Already a single cylinder engine has been running on the test bench and Hoffman reported that the current plan is to have the entire power unit on test before the end of the year. He added that the facilities at Neuburg are meanwhile being brought to Formula One standard.

In essence the 2026 power plant will echo the current 1.6 litre V6 turbo with electrical assistance albeit without the MGU-H, which recovers energy from exhaust gas. At the same time the MGU-K, which is married to the crankshaft for energy recovery and deployment will be more powerful, the regulations increasing its output from 120 kW to 350 kW (469 bhp). It will thus provide almost half of the overall output, which as today will be around 1000 bhp. The upshot will be that consumption of fuel, which will be fully sustainable, is reduced by around 30% per race.