Audi confirms Berlin launch date and new 'Audi Revolut F1 Team' identity for 2026 entry

Audi has set January 20, 2026, for the official launch of its factory Formula 1 team in Berlin, confirming it will race as the 'Audi Revolut F1 Team' and revealing its new logo. The event marks the final step in the transition from the Sauber identity, with the team's corporate name changing to Audi Motorsport AG and its new UK technology centre being rebranded accordingly.

Why it matters:

This launch solidifies Audi's long-anticipated entry as a full works team, ending the Sauber era in Formula 1. The confirmed date and branding provide a tangible timeline for one of the sport's most significant manufacturer arrivals in recent history, setting the stage for a new competitive chapter under the 2026 regulations.

The details:

• The team will officially be named the Audi Revolut F1 Team, following a title partnership signed with the global banking giant earlier in 2025.
• The launch event in Berlin is described as an "immersive experience" designed to showcase Audi's brand pillars of "clarity, technical intelligence, and emotion."
• The full 2026 race livery will be revealed, building on the Audi R26 concept car shown previously.
• On January 21, the event space will open to the public, allowing fans to engage with the team's new visual identity.
• The corporate transformation is comprehensive: Sauber Motorsport AG becomes Audi Motorsport AG, and the new Bicester base will be called the Audi Motorsport Technology Centre UK. The Sauber name will remain only on the holding company and Sauber Technologies AG.

The big picture:

Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley called the unveiling a "crucial milestone" that energizes the entire project, uniting staff across Germany, the UK, and Switzerland. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner stated it gives their F1 ambition "a clear identity." The Berlin launch represents the culmination of a multi-year transition and the starting point for Audi's on-track ambitions.

What's next:

The team's technical preparations are advancing aggressively. Audi remains on schedule to fire up its first 2026-spec power unit before Christmas 2025—a notably early milestone that has compressed winter testing schedules. Wheatley highlighted the challenge of integrating a brand-new power unit with a chassis for the first time so early in the development cycle, underscoring the complexity of the project as Audi aims to be competitive from the outset of the new regulatory era.