For several weeks, there was speculation that Audi would enter F1. Now, the fact that it has been confirmed for 2026, the year in which the series will take an important step towards sustainability, confirms the north of the Volkswagen Group brand for the future as a company and sporting entity.

It should be noted that Audi will not only be part of the starting grid as a team, but will also be an engine manufacturer. The bet of the firm of the four rings aims to enter the series and be competitive through its own resources in order not to depend on other engine manufacturers.

Related content: Formula 1 Reveals Details on New Engine to be Used from 2026 for Sustainable Transition

In addition, manufacturing its own engines will have the advantage of using Formula 1 as a rolling test laboratory, where the technology applied in the single-seater racing car will be demanded at the highest level, to later take it to street production vehicles, understanding that the future of the automotive market aims to be electric and sustainable within a few years.

“I want to officially announce that Audi has been officially registered as an official engine manufacturer. We will start racing in Formula 1 from 2026,” said Markus Duesmann, CEO of the brand at the official unveiling of the company’s single-seater concept.

Audi is undoubtedly betting on Formula 1 as a catalyst towards sustainability, given that from 2026 the electric motor will be almost as powerful as the fuel-powered power unit.

“In view of the great technological leaps toward sustainability that this competition proposes for 2026, we can speak of a transformation toward a new Formula 1. And Audi wants to actively support this journey. A close link between our Formula 1 project and AUDI AG’s Technical Development department will enable synergies to be established,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Technical Development Director of the company.

Written by | Ronald Ortega

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In this regard, the manufacturer Audi presented an innovation called Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X), which allows vehicles to send information between others that are nearby and are equipped with this tool. The information transmitted can include road conditions, traffic sign information, location and more.

It should be noted that access to the platform can reach cellular radio towers and common cell phones, and to perfect all these communication channels, Audi announced a partnership with the technological “Spoke”, specializing in interconnected solutions.

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One of the manufacturer’s goals is to improve the way cyclists and cars travel on the same streets and roads. Bicycles with the C-V2X system would be detected by Audi vehicles with the same technology and would issue proximity reports to prevent accidents.

According to data from the U.S. National Traffic Safety Administration, during 2021 a total of 7,342 pedestrians and 985 cyclists in the midst of road accidents.

Operation

According to Audi, The C-V2X hardware in the bicycle can notify a vehicle when it is approaching, even if it is obstructed by another vehicle and cannot be seen by the driver.

If a bicycle approaches, Audi’s test vehicles are programmed to provide a variety of warnings to the driver to avoid a collision. For example, it can notify a proximity warning to alert in the event that a cyclist is projected to enter a vehicle’s turning path to either side, or front, rear and crossover crossing prevention.

Before bringing the innovation to market, Audi is conducting extensive tests on its e-tron Sportback car, the results of which they expect to present soon.

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By 2025, Audi plans to have more than 20 fully electrified models in its portfolio, and from 2026, it will exclusively bring new models with these technologies to market.

In addition to the interesting numbers provided by the automaker, there is also a project to build a factory in China, as a result of the alliance with First Automotive Works (FAW), and thus take advantage of the regulatory flexibility, such as the fact that foreign capital must be 60%, and the rest is provided by the Chinese state-owned manufacturer.

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With an investment of almost 3.3 billion euros, the partnership obtained permission to start construction work on the new factory, so building will begin soon. It is expected to start series production in December 2024.

Scope and Models to be Manufactured

According to Audi and FAW projections, the new facility will add 150,000 units per year to the Volkswagen Group’s local production capacity across the Asian country, approaching one million. Volkswagen and FAW currently have four factories with a combined scope of about 700,000 cars.

Regarding the range, three 100% electric models will be produced at the complex, including the Audi e-tron SUV. This prototype has been manufactured locally in China since September 2020, previously arriving from Europe and taxed with import tariffs, although they surely refer to its replacement, Q8 e-tron, given the date.

In addition, Audi informed that in the future, the company will also produce in China electric vehicles based on the Premium Electric Platform (PPE), developed together with Porsche, to further advance in the transformation of what remains its largest market. From 2024, various all-electric drive models will be produced for the Chinese market on this new platform.

Audi’s numbers in China

According to official company data on the Asian giant, Audi ended 2021 with 701,289 vehicles delivered and a decline of 3.6 %. After a record 2020, the fourth quarter was particularly marked by the shortage of locally produced semiconductors for cars.

Imported Audi models recorded a significant increase in demand with 53%. The Audi A5 with 96.7 %, the Audi Q7 with 74.4 % and the all-electric Audi e-tron 68.7 % showed a particularly positive development. In addition, sales of Audi Sport models more than doubled compared to 2020.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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It is a futuristic recharging facility for electric cars capable of accommodating up to 80 cars per day, without reaching the capacity limits of the system up to 200 kW.

It has sufficient capacity for six vehicles to remain connected simultaneously to its charging posts, which each have a power of 320 kW. 

Movable Hub

The structure unveiled by Audi is a kind of modular base with flexible containers that can be assembled and disassembled in other areas within a few days. Each hub has two fast charging stations and can be combined according to the number desired by the user. 

These charging stations are powered by second-life Lithium-ion batteries that serve as energy storage, making the installation very simple without relying on expensive transformers or high-voltage power lines.

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The firm’s recharging system is capable of delivering 80 percent of battery charge after just 20 to 30 minutes of plugging in. During that time, the facility’s customers will have additional services at their disposal, such as an electric bicycle exchange station, scooter loan, information on Audi products and test drives of the different electric models in the range.

Also, on the upper floor of the charging center, customers have access to a lounge similar to those in airport VIP areas, where they can rest, refuel, eat or work in a premium environment.

Pricing and Usage

For people who own an Audi vehicle, the company made the “MyAudi” application available for the charging areas. This also gives them the possibility to recharge with the “Plug and Charge” without the need for a card; provided the car has the “PnC” function for the 55 quattro and S models produced since December 1.

Prices for installation are €0.31/kWh for those with an e-tron charging service. The company reported that the hub is intended to be a real alternative to home charging, offering higher powers and is even open to owners not only of Audi, but also of other brands.

So far, the structure created by Audi is a pilot plan that will be used as a starting point for progressive installations at strategic locations on the busiest roads in Europe.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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Di Grassi, who clinched his second win of the season after Puebla, Mexico, started third, behind DS Techeetah drivers, defending champion António Félix da Costa and Jean-Érick Vergne respectively, who finished seventh and sixth.

“We always believed in it (winning), we lost many points in Rome and London, so this means a lot to me, I am very happy. I had to use the attack mode strategically to get the lead,” said di Grassi.

The podium was completed by Venturi Racing’s Swiss Edoardo Mortara (2nd), who climbed two positions after his start and represented a serious threat to Lucas until the very last second.

“It was a great result for the team and for me, because it gets us back into the fight for the title. We must not be too happy because we have to prepare for tomorrow”, were Mortara’s words before climbing up to the second spot.

About his battle for the lead, he pointed out: “I knew it was going to be difficult in the last rounds. I put a lot of pressure on di Grassi, but in the end, it turned out to be the opposite of what I expected”.

Third place was for Jaguar Racing’s New Zealander, Mitch Evans, whose good performance not only kept him in the fight for the title, but also strengthened his crew’s lead at the top of the Teams’ Championship, which experienced Sam Bird’s absence.

Read also: Extreme E: Former Top Gear Host and Driver, Tanner Foust, to Drive for McLaren

A Team Victory

Di Grassi and Rast managed to overtake the DS Techeetah drivers, second and third respectively, while Mortara had to be beaten.

With Lucas di Grassi at the front, the team joined forces and Rast blocked Mortara’s chances, so that his teammate could finally improve his options and move up to 1st place. With 10 minutes to go, the Brazilian-born driver held his position until the very end.

More Details

The first 20 minutes did not offer up much overtaking within the first 10 positions, except for Rowland, who, with less than 10 minutes from the start, gained 3 spots in the standings.

After a slight contact on the left rear tire, Pascal Wehrlein was forced to leave the track. Bird also had some problems and eventually, the safety car had to come out for the first and only time. 

Thus, with a very close race, only 4 out of the 18 drivers with title options left with no chances for the final battle in Berlin, to be held tomorrow on the same circuit of the former Tempelhof airport, which will be laid out in reverse for the occasion.

Below, you can see the standings, with the first 14 drivers having a chance to win the “Season Seven”, the first Formula E World Championship awarded by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile).

Written by | Osward Rubio

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Audi is one of the teams whose drivers attend the event with a real chance of glory. Both Lucas di Grassi and Rene Rast are under the spotlight of a season in which 15 drivers are only 27 points away from each other. The race format enables them to accumulate 30 points in just one perfect race day, enough to define the championship.

Rast is in seventh place and di Grassi in twelfth place on the standings. On the teams’ table, Audi is fourth with one of the most consistent performances on tracks. Both scored 14 points in eleven races, more than any other manufacturer.

Related content: Drivers and teams pressure Formula E to change format in London

“We have already experienced many exciting moments in our London history,” said Di Grassi. “The series’ origin is based here, as it is with many teams and drivers. Formula E is coming home”, he remarked about the electric category’s return to English territory.

Di Grassi emphasized that “it’s the first time that a circuit is both partially open and covered”. “The layout is not particularly fast overall. It has low power consumption, many curves and, at first glance, offers few overtaking opportunities, which makes it quite different from other circuits,” he explained.

Ultimate Challenge

“The London circuit is definitively different to anything we’ve seen before, but that’s what Formula E is all about,” said Audi director Allan McNish.

“It’s a new challenge for all engineers and drivers. We are preparing intensively to go into first practice as orderly as possible, but it will still be a journey into the unknown,” he said.

Rast, noted, “I’ve never driven on a circuit like London in my career. The layout and the environment are all completely new territory for all of us and something very special. It promises to be a great adventure.

The English track’s innovation has generated mixed reactions among drivers and teams, due to the unique nature of Formula E’s presentation. In addition, being the final round of the campaign has generated a higher level of expectation.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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According to simulations made by teams, after the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) provided the layout details, it appears that a conventional race in the electric category requires drivers to recover between 30% and 35% of energy to reach finish line, but in this case it could drop up to 5%.

Due to scenario characteristics, several team representatives consider that with no lift and slide, as it is, the lack of different strategies will create stagnation and a very flat, processional race.

Related content: Formula E Unveils London track, Grand Finale scenario

A survey carried out by Autosport with the protagonists points this out, who also note that if drivers do not need to save energy before an overtake, they predict a crash-filled event.

Rules and track details

“Clearly, as a general rule, this is a championship where we work on energy management. We can never have enough,” stated Audi director Allan McNish. 

He compared the scenario to 2018-19 season, before an amendment to rules, which meant that no energy was deducted after a safety car intervention. That gave drivers time to build up an energy buffer during their neutralized period, this then created a sprint to the finish.

“In season five, when we didn’t have the reductions after a safety car and it became a sprint to the finish, there was a plateau. It wasn’t really that interesting. We should learn lessons from that,” McNish explained.

Mercedes driver Stoffel Vandoorne noted about it, “It’s something Formula E needs to look at because a flying lap and an energy-saving lap are basically the same thing”.

“If that’s going to be the case, these cars are not made for that. Without brakes, they may be overheating, the race is not going to be good because there’s no economy. There’s going to be collisions when people try to overtake. It’s going to be quite complicated if nothing changes,” he warned. Vandoorne proposes that “the easiest solution is to do an energy reduction to make sure everyone has to save.”

Read also: Inflatable Cars: Sustainable Mobility’ s Future?

Finally, James Barclay, Jaguar Racing team principal, assured that the changes to be made are vital for the spectacle: “Yes, we have to adjust it, I’m sure we’ll work together to find the best compromise to make a great race”.

London returns to Formula E’s calendar for the first time since the 2015-16 season finale at Battersea Park, for a double-header at the all-new ExCeL Center in Docklands.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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At his young age, he won the renowned ICA Junior Kartcup race in North Germany in 2001, and a year later triumphed in the German-wide competition of the same name.

Rast has forged an important bond with Team Audi throughout his career. In DTM, he disputed an excellent first campaign in 2017 where he won the trophy. By 2018, he finished second overall in the championship standings, despite mastering the final stages with six consecutive victories. A year later, he claimed back the title with a spectacular 18-round performance, with seven wins and six podiums. 

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In 2020, Rast overcame the COVID-19 pandemic onslaught to finish Audi’s season in the German touring car championship on a high note, becoming the only driver to win three titles in a row and the most successful factory racer in the team’ history.

The German driver also has other racing recognitions that include a streak of championship wins in Porsche Supercup between 2010 and 2012, endurance victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours, as well as overall accolades in the ADAC GT Masters 2014.

Formula E arrival

Rast made his debut appearance in the electric single-seater category in 2016, replacing Antonio Félix da Costa at the Berlin E-Prix. But it wasn’t until 2019 when he climbed into the Audi e-tron FE06 and be appointed as a regular driver instead of Daniel Abt.

In the present campaign, he is seventh on the overall standings, a meritorious performance within one of the closest competitions with the highest number of different winners in each of the races that have taken place so far.

Uncertain Future

Although Rast has repeatedly stated how comfortable and excited he feels at Formula E, his long-standing alliance with Audi could keep him away from the series, as the manufacturer recently announced it will not participate in Season 8.

Given this situation, he has left the door open for his return to DTM in 2022, with Audi’s support. In fact, Rast intends to continue being part of the brand’s factory driver roster until his career comes to an end.

“I’m focused on Formula E now and whatever comes after will have to be discussed. I see myself in the long-term with Audi, so I hope to be part of whatever program comes next, whether it’s the LMDh category or whatever. Perhaps DTM again is another option,” Rast stated about his next steps.

“I need to see what comes next. DTM is an option I like, even though the cars are slower now than in previous years. They are no longer prototypes, so for a driver it is a bit less entertaining. Still, the important thing was to keep DTM’s platform, maintain its support series and everything around the championship,” he finished.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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Although the category is just beginning, he joined the team at the end of 2019 as an EV ambassador and as such has played an important role in the development of the e-Racer alongside his teammate Jordi Gené.

Ekström was born in Sweden on July 14, 1978, and is the most successful motorsport competitor in that country for the past 20 years. He has an excellent career in terms of touring cars, since just turned 22 years old, he became a national champion.

Related content: Mattias Ekström “did not expect” Hyundai’s protest

He started karting in 1993. A year later, he also began to compete in the Swedish Renault 5 Turbo Cup, where he was runner-up in 1995 and champion in 1996. He made the leap to the Nordic Touring Car Championship, where he won the 1997 runner-up at the wheel of a Volvo 850, with four victories.

In 1998, he went on to use a Ford Mondeo, with which he achieved four podiums and a final eighth place. With new equipment, the driver added four victories and ten podiums in the 16 races of 1999 at the controls of an all-wheel drive Audi A4, to win the championship against Fredrik Ekblom.

Among his most important international achievements are two Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) titles in 2004 and 2007. In addition, he took victory in the 24 Hours of Spa with Audi.

Rallycross is one of his favorite tournaments, where he achieved glory as World Champion in 2016 with his own EKS team. The good path in this series is inherited from his father, Bengt Ekström, who was a rallycross driver at the European level.

A new electrified challenge

Mattias Ekström will have several major challenges in the coming months. Along with his arrival at the PURE ETCR, the pilot will be at the Dakar Rally with Audi, a team that will revolutionize the tournament with the bet on an electric vehicle. He will share the squad with Carlos Sainz and Stéphane Peterhansel, two pilots with experience.

“The Dakar is undoubtedly one of the most exciting adventures of my career. Tackling this exciting project together with the team, with whom I have celebrated my greatest successes, is something fantastic.

Mattias Ekström

“Even though I’m going to be 43 years old, compared to Carlos and Stéphane I feel like a junior. In this sport you need a lot of experience in every way, and I still have a lot to learn. But I’m really looking forward to it,” he added.

Audi aims to break the mold by being the first car manufacturer to fight for victory in the general classification of the legendary Dakar Rally with a vehicle equipped with an electrified powertrain.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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In that sense, the Brazilian has expressed that he will not need help from the team leaders of the competition to remain in it and added that he will continue as an advisor to Formula E if he is not a driver.

“Not at all at this stage. I didn’t have any conversation with nobody. To be honest, I don’t think I need their help. It’s just a matter for me to choose somewhere that I think is going to be competitive. That for me is number one. To fill up the grid… I only will continue doing something which I’m highly motivated to do. I haven’t spoken to anybody. Nobody suggested any help”, said di Grassi.

The question to the Brazilian driver arose because Formula E at the time helped in the agreement of Felipe Massa, to compete with Venturi Racing for two seasons, and it is speculated that he contributed to his salary.

Di Grassi would be in talks with a new team that is negotiating deals to take over the Audi job. Also, he said that he will only be in a team with competitive potential to take the world title.

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“I will continue if I have the chance either to transform the team into a winning team or to go into a winning position. Otherwise, I have no interest of continuing at all. Going back to other categories, at this stage, it’s not the natural progression of my career. I love Formula E, and I would like to stay here,” he said.

The world champion added that there is interest in his continuity in the series and that he will wait two or three weeks for things to develop and become clearer for his future.

“I will continue to be involved even if after I stopped in a few years’ time. I’d like to continue to be involved to bring this championship to a different level and to make it even better. My future is in Formula E for sure,” he said.

Notably di Grassi, who broke a two-year win drought for himself and the team in the first Puebla E-Prix. For the Brazilian, the exit of Audi is frustrating given the improved form of the e-tron FE07, which includes the first powertrain developed in-house by the manufacturer.

Written by | Gabriel Sayago

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