F1 team drops FIRST livery for 2026

Nico Hulkenberg and Max Verstappen talk to each other ahead of an F1 race — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 2026

F1 team drops FIRST livery for 2026

An F1 team has unveiled their look for 2025

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 13 November 2025 11:59

Audi F1 team have unveiled their concept livery for the 2026 season ahead of their takeover of Sauber.

The German automotive giant will construct their own chassis and power unit next season, and have steadily been building towards their arrival in the sport.

Audi made big name signings securing former Red Bull sporting Jonathan Wheatley as team principal, while former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto will act as the head of the Audi F1 project.

Article continues under video

The team also boasts three different facilities including their power unit base in Neuberg, Germany, while investing in Sauber’s Hinwil factory in Switzerland as a centre for the chassis and where the team will operate from.

Finally, Audi will also target the best and brightest talent from Motorsport Valley, by opening their UK-based technology centre in Bicester.

Audi will continue to field the lineup of Nico Hulkenberg, who achieved his first F1 podium at Silverstone this year, and Gabriel Bortoleto in 2026, who alongside Binotto and Wheatley were in attendance for a grand unveiling in Munich.

Goodbye green: Audi concept livery revealed

In Munich, Audi’s concept livery for 2025 was unveiled, depicting only the colour scheme and was absent of any sponsorship apart from the manufacturer’s logo.

A sleek chrome silver dominated the nose and front of the car, before splitting cleanly at the sidepods into an Audi red and carbon black design towards the rear of the car.

Alongside their livery reveal, team bosses spoke on the future of the team and the challenge ahead of them to progress upwards through the F1 grid.

Wheatley said: “This journey is not just about the destination but about engaging with the people who make every step possible. It is about your mindset, focus, resilience and confidence without complacency.

"Championship-winning teams are not built on magic – they are built on people who believe in each other, in the process, and in the destination.

"Our drivers, Nico and Gabi, embody that spirit. They bring passion and hunger and treat every lap as a chance to learn and move forward."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FORMULA 1® (@f1)

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

F1 Audi Sauber Jonathan Wheatley