Going big Down Under: Audi makes its Formula 1 debut

MediaInfo
03/06/2026
Ingolstadt/Melbourne
  • Strong presence for the four rings in Melbourne
  • First public appearance of the new Audi RS 5 in the southern hemisphere
  • Floating Audi Revolut F1 Team hub in the heart of the city
Audi makes its Formula 1 debut - Audi Revolut F1 Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto unveiled the new Audi RS 5 at the Albert Park Circuit.
Download
Press contacts

March 8, 2026, marks an unforgettable milestone for the four rings: Audi makes its Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The company’s involvement in the pinnacle of motorsport highlights its transformation on and off the racetrack.

From the airport to the city center, the Australian metropolis is marked by the four rings. On Thursday evening, Audi Revolut F1 Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto unveiled the new Audi RS 5  at the Albert Park Circuit. Just two weeks after its world premiere, this car marks a bold new era. It is the first RS model with a hybrid drive – a parallel to the new generation of Formula 1 racing cars, whose power output is almost 50 percent electric.

The close connection between the brand’s sportiest models and motorsport is shown in a film in which the new Audi RS 5 drives around the Formula 1 track at Albert Park while connected to engineers from Audi Revolut F1 Team in Mission Control back home.

One historic Audi race car provided a spine-tingling moment. For the Formula 1 debut, Audi Tradition brought the legendary Audi R8 with a crocodile design out of the museum. This car won the “Race of a Thousand Years” in Adelaide, Australia, on December 31, 2000. One of the victorious drivers from that race was also behind the wheel in Melbourne: Allan McNish, now responsible for the Audi Driver Development Programme.

Floating team hub in downtown Melbourne

The crocodile-themed Audi R8 is one of many attractions awaiting visitors at the stunning AFLOAT bar, alongside a show car version of the Audi R26. The premium floating venue on the Yarra River in central Melbourne serves as the team’s public headquarters during the Australian Grand Prix weekend. Open since Thursday, it remains a meeting place for guests and fans to watch sessions live and interact with the brand and team. 

Even before the race weekend, Audi Revolut F1 Team welcomed numerous visitors, including local stars such as Australian surfer Stephanie Gilmore and renowned chef Guillaume Brahimi. The French-born chef is one of Australia’s most popular and will be cooking for guests in the Audi Trackside Suite opposite the pit lane exit this weekend. To celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday, Audi Australia hosted a networking lunch for “Girls on Track” ahead of the Grand Prix. Audi Revolut F1 Team also supports the FIA’s initiative to promote motorsport careers for girls and young women by offering professional contacts. On Thursday, several team members took time to meet with participants and share their experiences. With numerous other activations, the team is promoting the four rings across Melbourne – for example, at the Adidas Original Store in the city center.

Formula 1: more than just motorsport for Audi

“The start of our first Formula 1 season marks the beginning of a new chapter for Audi – both on and off the track,” says Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG. “We aim to demonstrate what can be achieved when people work together towards a common goal. In this sport, where every millisecond counts, efficiency is crucial. It teaches us that focused, precise teamwork makes us strong. We face the challenges with courage and view this project as a driving force and motivating example to become better every day.”

The Australian Grand Prix will start on Sunday at 3 p.m. local time (5 a.m. CET). It marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to the pinnacle of motorsport. Audi aims to be in a position to compete for Formula 1 world championship titles from 2030 onward.

Success in motorsports for more than 100 years

Audi has been successful in motorsports for more than 100 years. With Grand Prix racing cars such as the Auto Union Type C, also on display in Melbourne, the company was already thrilling audiences in the 1930s. The brand’s successes in the World Rally Championship, touring car racing, and endurance racing were often closely linked to technical innovations. In 2012, Audi achieved the first victory by a hybrid-powered race car at the Le Mans 24 Hours. This marked the beginning of electrification in motorsport at Audi, which is now continuing in Formula 1 and also finding its way into the company’s RS models.

Recommendations

Audi RS 5 Avant - Rolf Michl (left), Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH, and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner in front of the new Audi RS 5 Avant at the first drive in Morocco.
Models
03/03/2026

First drive in Morocco: Statements from Gernot Döllner and Rolf Michl on the new Audi RS 5

The new Audi RS 5 is Audi Sport’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – with real RS DNA and the highly tuned hybrid technology to match. This sports car marks a bold new direction for Audi, pairing maximum performance with remarkable efficiency. For the first time at Audi Sport, the powertrain pairs a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 outputting 375 kW (510 PS) and a 130-kW electric motor. Global media gathered in Morocco to experience the A5 series’ flagship model in action for the first time. As well as bespoke RS sport suspension with twin-valve shock absorbers, the guests put the brand-new quattro drivetrain with Dynamic Torque Control – enabling electromechanical torque vectoring at the rear axle – through its paces in a first drive. Here are some of the key takeaways from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, Product Line Manager Horst Hanschur, Audi Sport GmbH Managing Director Rolf Michl, and Steffen Bamberger, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH.
Audi RS 5 Sedan / Audi RS 5 Avant - Bedfordgreen metallic, Progressiv red metallic, outdoor static photo, exterior, three-quarter front and three-quarter rear view
Models
02/19/2026

The new Audi RS 5: high performance in a hybrid

The new Audi RS 5 is Audi Sport’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – with real RS DNA and the highly-tuned hybrid-technology to match. Whether carving canyons, running highway marathons, or gliding through town on electric power – the RS 5 masters any situation with agility and impressive precision. It covers an extremely wide spread of driving dynamics – from comfortable every-day companion to potent performer. For the first time at Audi Sport, the powertrain pairs a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 outputting 375 kW (510 PS) and a 130 kW electric motor. They are joined by bespoke RS sport suspension with twin-valve shock absorbers and a completely new quattro drivetrain with Dynamic Torque Control, enabling electromechanical torque vectoring at the rear as a world first. The new center differential has a preload to always remain partially locked, managing longitudinal torque distribution. Transverse torque distribution at the rear is provided by a new differential that can shift torque between the wheels in milliseconds. The result: exceptionally agile, composed, and effortless driving.
Download
Press contacts
Topics on this page
Motorsport Formula 1 Audi Revolut F1 Team Nico Hulkenberg Gabriel Bortoleto Audi Sport A5 RS-Model