Audi Begins Construction on Expanded F1 Facility to Take on the Big Boys

Phillip Horton
·3 min read
competence center motorsport – new building f72 for the formula 1 project
Audi Begins Construction on Expanded F1 FacilityAudi Motorsport

  • Sauber, which currently competes as Alfa Romeo, will construct the chassis out of its current base in Hinwil, Switzerland.

  • Audi will develop the power unit in Neuberg, Germany.

  • Construction began this week on the new building, called F7.2, and while it is not expected to be completed until Q1 2024, parts of it will be operational from March 2023.

Audi has begun work on expanding its facility in Germany as it ramps up preparation ahead of its Formula 1 debut in 2026.

Audi announced in August that it will develop a power unit when Formula 1 introduces new engine regulations, and in October a strategic tie-in with Sauber Motorsport was confirmed. Sauber, which currently competes as Alfa Romeo, will construct the chassis out of its current base in Hinwil, Switzerland, while Audi will develop the power unit in Neuberg, Germany.

audi f1 sauber
Audi will align with Sauber for its Formula 1 effort.Audi Motorsport

Audi’s Competence Center Motorsport is being expanded with the construction of a new building, of around 3,000 square meters, which will house the new test benches for the power unit’s development. It will also feature technical rooms, a mechanical workshop and meeting space.

The Competence Center Motorsport has previously housed other Audi projects, such as the Audi RS Q e-tron, the Audi R18 e-tron quattro hybrid racing car, and its Formula E car.

“With the Competence Center Motorsport, we have an ideal base for our Formula 1 project,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Board Member for Technical Development.

“Audi Neuburg was designed from the outset to be able to tackle the most demanding motorsport projects. This foresight is paying off. With the existing facilities, we were able to immediately begin with the Formula 1 project. The expansion will create the necessary infrastructure for the development of our F1 power unit for the long term.

“With the building extension and the installation of state-of-the-art test benches, we are giving our development team the best possible conditions to be successful in the top class of motorsport.”

Construction began this week on the new building, called F7.2, and while it is not expected to be completed until Q1 2024, parts of it will be operational from March 2023. Audi has already recruited around 220 employees for its F1 project and is set to expand its workforce beyond 300 by mid-2023.

“Developing a power unit for the world’s most demanding racing series in Germany is a great challenge,” said Adam Baker, managing director of Audi Formula Racing. “We already have a great team at our facility in Neuburg that is growing all of the time.”

Audi is so far the only new manufacturer that has committed to Formula 1’s new-for-2026 engine regulations. The rules were defined earlier this year, with almost three times the current electrical power, the MGU-H dropped, and fully sustainable fuels.

Porsche held extensive discussions with Red Bull but talks broke down amid a disagreement over the extent of the proposed partnership.