Audi has unveiled that its brand-new engine for the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 regulations has already undergone numerous test runs equivalent to race distances.
The highly-novel rules set for 2026 have sparked debates in the paddock, especially after a suggestion by Red Bull's Christian Horner to reduce the ambitious electric power component of the engines was firmly declined by other engine manufacturers scheduled for 2026.
"In principle," Ferrari's leader Frederic Vasseur remarked, "less electric power might make sense from today's perspective, but rowing back now would involve immense costs. We've all have prototypes of our power units and batteries on the test benches for a long time," he told Auto Motor und Sport.
"It's too late to turn back, unless the introduction of the new rules is postponed by a year."
Mercedes' Toto Wolff concurred: "Far too expensive now. We're already far too advanced with development. Perhaps we can do something about the power output," he suggested. "One possibility would be that the full electric power doesn't always have to be available."
The inclusion of new manufacturers like Audi is frequently highlighted by Formula 1 and the FIA as a significant goal of the 2026 regulations.
Audi's F1 CEO Adam Baker appears to align with the views of Ferrari and Mercedes, indicating that the development has progressed too far to consider significant changes for 2026.
Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, now owns the Swiss team Sauber, which will transform into Audi's full factory team starting the new era.
"Our power unit, consisting of a combustion engine, electric motor, battery and control electronics, is running dynamically on the test bench," he declared during the Austrian GP weekend.
"The Audi power unit has already covered simulated race distances on the test bench," Baker continued. "Significant milestones and goals have been achieved, which gives the entire team a good feeling."
Stefan Dreyer, the chief technology officer for the German marque, stated: "After the successful race distances with the power unit, we will soon be doing the same with the entire drive system, which means the combination of power unit and transmission. At the same time, we are going full throttle with performance development in order to achieve the goals we have set ourselves," he remarked.
Baker concluded: "The fact that our entire team can fully concentrate on the development of the power unit for 2026 is an advantage for Audi. We made an early start with the 2026 concept team in Hinwil back in January 2023. This work is now being intensified with the current chassis regulations."
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