Audi has already sold part of its F1 team

The 2026 Formula 1 season will be significant for a number of reasons. Smaller, more efficient cars, active aerodynamics and more extensive electrification will come into play, along with two new names on the grid: Cadillac and Audi. The latter will take over Sauber as a works outfit, and according to a report in Sky News, a part-sale of the team has been agreed before it’s even reached the grid. 

According to the report, the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) has agreed to a 30 per cent acquisition of the team, a deal worth ‘hundreds of millions of dollars.’ QIA has pledged to offer the financial backing to drive Audi towards the front of the F1 grid, turning fortunes around for the team as it currently operates under the Kick Sauber name. With two rounds of the 2024 season remaining, it has yet to score any points and sits at the bottom of the constructor’s standings. 

The deal is set to be announced in the build up to this Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix, and will see Audi following McLaren in attracting major Middle Eastern investment. The British F1 titan is currently owned by the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, which is in talks with the Abu Dhabi government-owned CYVN holdings for a transfer of ownership. 

A fresh driver pairing will lead Sauber’s transition to Audi, with Nico Hulkenberg and Brazilian newcomer Gabriel Bortoleto joining the outfit for next season, replacing Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Audi is also committed to producing its own power units from 2026 to operate as a full works team, joining Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin in this respect. 

Time will tell whether these developments will be enough for Audi to start its first-ever Formula 1 campaign on the front foot.