Audi or Porsche could join Formula One in 2026

Audi or its affiliate Porsche are said to be preparing a major motorsport announcement in the coming months.

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After years of rumours, and Audi or Porsche could be preparing to announce an entry into Formula One – the pinnacle of motorsport globally.

According to a new report from

Autocar – which claims to have sighted a letter from Audi to motorsport’s peak governing body the FIA – the German brand or its affiliate Porsche has preliminary plans to enter the category in 2026, but is still awaiting final approval from its parent company, the Volkswagen Group.

“Thanks to [the FIA’s] efforts we are now close to the finish line

,” the letter from Audi to the FIA reportedly says. “Recently, we saw another milestone being reached – the first draft of the technical, sporting and financial regulations. We believe that it contains satisfying solutions for all the objectives,” the letter continued.

“We look forward to working with [the FIA] to complete this important process and to confirm our Formula One entry early next year.”

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It’s unclear if the Volkswagen Group will buy an existing team, or build its own car and team from scratch.

Alternatively, the Audi or Porsche brands could join Formula One as an engine supplier, likely through McLaren (as previously rumoured) or Red Bull (which is likely looking for a sponsor for its existing engine program, following the departure of Honda this year).

Earlier reports suggested the Formula One car or engine could be raced as a Porsche, which is Audi’s closest affiliate in the Volkswagen Group.

The argument behind this line of thinking is Porsche’s recent interest in synthetic fuels and the internal combustion engines currently used in Formula One cars.

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While Porsche operated a factory Formula One team between 1957 and 1962 – and later built engines for McLaren – Audi has not competed in F1 in the post-war era.

However, Audi has a long history in endurance racing, and its predecessor Auto Union was dominant in pre-war Grand Prix racing.

The W16 1934 Auto Union Type A (shown above) is widely regarded as the first race car to successfully employ a rear-engine layout, and, while the design was not replicated again widely until the late 1950s by Cooper, it has since become ubiquitous in “open-wheeler” race cars.

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