George Russell of Mercedes was penalized, told to start from pit lane at Singapore Grand Prix

“I want to officially announce that Audi has officially registered as PU (power unit) Formula One manufacturer. So in 2026 we will start racing in F1,” Audi chief executive Markus Duesmann said at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The project will be based at Audi Sports facility in Neuburg near Ingolstadt. This is the first time in more than a decade that a Formula 1 powertrain will be built in Germany.

Audi -said it supports F1's plans to be more sustainable and cost-efficient, with a cost cap for power unit manufacturers introduced in 2023 and F1 setting a target of being Net Zero Carbon by 2030.

"I am delighted to welcome Audi to Formula 1, an iconic automotive brand, pioneer and technological innovator," said F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. "This is a major moment for our sport that highlights the huge strength we have as a global platform that continues to grow," Domenicalli added.

"We are all looking forward to seeing the Audi logo on the grid and will be hearing further details from them on their plans in due course." Motorsport is an integral part of Audi's DNA, said Duesmann. "Formula 1 is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory. The combination of high performance and competition is always a driver of innovation and technology transfer in our industry."

Audi is currently working on getting personnel, buildings and technical infrastructure in place by the end of the year. They will then have three years to finetune the PU before entering F1.