Audi completes first fire-up of its 2026 Formula 1 car

Audi reports the successful first fire-up of its 2026 Formula 1 car, confirming a key technical milestone as the project advances toward its debut season.

Audi has moved its Formula 1 project from concept to reality. The Audi Revolut F1 Team has successfully completed the first fire-up of its 2026 car, a milestone regarded in Formula 1 as a mandatory technical checkpoint in the life of any new machine.

The fire-up took place on December 19, 2025, at the team’s Hinwil facility. For the first time, the Audi Power Unit was run fully installed in the chassis, allowing the team to verify that all core systems operate together as intended. In Formula 1 terms, this moment confirms that a project is ready to progress beyond design and bench testing.

This achievement marks the outcome of years of development and close cooperation between Audi’s powertrain division in Neuburg, the chassis operation in Hinwil, and the newly established Technical Centre in Bicester. Components developed across different locations were brought together in a single car for the first time.

The successful fire-up establishes a solid technical baseline as the team prepares for the 2026 season, Audi’s debut year in Formula 1 under the new regulatory framework. While it does not measure performance, the milestone confirms the stability and integration of the car’s fundamental systems.

The next major step is already defined. On January 20, 2026, the Audi Revolut F1 Team will unveil its race livery and on-track identity at a global launch event in Berlin. The car’s first on-track appearance will follow during the collective test sessions in Barcelona at the end of January, marking the transition from initial operation to active track development.