P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Audi has finished the engine it will run in testing although that will be a “distant” relative to the specification it intends to make its F1 debut with
Audi has completed the engine for testing but the Formula 1 debut specification has been delayed for maximum development. The first F1 engine by Audi, powering their Sauber team from 2026, has been in progress since 2022.
The powertrain, engine, and gearbox, has been undergoing tests at Audi’s facility, with final endurance runs recently finished. The construction of the initial Audi F1 engines is complete, with the first engine installed into a chassis and fire-up coming soon.
Engines will be shipped to Bahrain for pre-season tests in February, ahead of F1’s major rule overhaul in 2026. The collective private test in Spain at the end of January poses an early integration challenge for chassis and engine.
The testing specification prioritizes reliability, a significant challenge according to Audi F1 head Mattia Binotto. Audi aims to develop the engine until its race debut in Australia in March, with a homologation deadline of March 1 for engine details submission to F1 until 2030.
