The arrival of 2026 will bring a major revolution to Formula 1: new power units, a new chassis, new aerodynamics and an entirely refreshed grid. Both Cadillac and Audi have embraced the technical challenge and will join the championship. The American manufacturer will become the eleventh team on the grid in partnership with Andretti, following long legal and financial battles, while the Ingolstadt brand has gradually taken full control of Sauber.
The Swiss team has felt the effect of this transition, a fact clearly reflected in its results and poor on-track performances. However, in recent months it has begun to benefit from the new management structure and the fresh minds now working on the project. The programme is extremely ambitious and packed with challenges, and the first major obstacle has turned out to be the power unit — an area that was supposed to be Audi’s biggest strength.
“The development of the 2026 powertrain is complete, and we are already focusing on 2027 and 2028. Updates never stop in Formula 1, but we have very limited data from Ferrari and Sauber about next year’s set-up, so we are looking ahead,” explained Stefan Dreyer, Audi F1 CTO, to The Drive.
The most significant problem comes from the fact that the engine currently belongs to Scuderia Ferrari, and the Italian team is unwilling to share even a single line of data with Sauber. No information arrives from Maranello about the current power unit — let alone future specifications. Because of this, Audi is relying heavily on simulator development and will need a massive amount of running during pre-season testing to study set-ups and configurations.
It may appear to be a strange or ruthless decision, but in the harsh and highly competitive world of motorsport, where idea theft and project wars are always looming, such caution is often necessary.
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