Audi's F1 Car Comes To Life For The First Time
Audi Revolut F1 Team has completed the first fire-up of its 2026 Formula 1 car, an early but important step toward its entry into the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
The run took place on December 19, 2025, at the team’s Hinwil facility and marked the first time the Audi power unit was started while installed in the chassis. This type of test is a standard checkpoint in any Formula 1 program. It confirms that the main systems work together as intended and that the power unit and chassis have been successfully integrated. For Audi, it reflects the combined work of teams in Neuburg, Hinwil, and the new Technical Centre in Bicester, following years of development and coordination across locations.
“For Audi, entering Formula 1 is a key part of our brand’s ongoing renewal. This milestone is a clear demonstration of our ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ ambition. It is the result of seamless teamwork and a relentless pursuit of excellence that will serve as a guiding example for the entire Audi organization. This project is a catalyst for change, fostering pride, identity, and enthusiasm. With the fire-up, the hard work of the teams in Hinwil, Neuburg and Bicester now truly comes to life, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Audi’s motorsport history.” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Audi Motorsport AG.
With the car running as a complete package, the team now has a technical reference point as it continues preparing for the 2026 regulation changes. The successful fire-up shows that the project is progressing as planned and allows engineers to move into the next phases of testing and refinement.
“This successful fire-up is a critical milestone that validates the quality of the work and collaboration across all departments. It energizes the entire team and provides a clear focus as we prepare for the next phases of development, including the moment we first bring the car to track. This achievement brings our first race in Melbourne into sharp focus, and we will build on this foundation as one united team.” stated Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of the Audi Revolut F1 Team.
Audi Revolut F1 Team will continue its preparations ahead of its first season, with the next key step being the global launch event in Berlin on January 20, 2026. At that event, the team will reveal its race livery and visual identity, ahead of the first group test session in Barcelona later in the month.
This article was co-written using AI to extract the transcript from the video and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.
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