Audi are aiming for nothing less than victory in Formula One after three years, and they anticipate that engine modifications when they join in 2026 will give them an edge to open the door to success sooner.
Germany's Audi will compete as a factory team in F1 from 2026, with the Volkswagen subsidiary developing the engine and the chassis being built by experienced Swiss firm Sauber.
"We have signed up for the period 2026 to 2030. We want to be in a position to be able to fight for victories after three years," Adam Baker, managing director of Audi Formula Racing GmbH said.
"You have to be realistic. The first and second years can also be tough. However, it is very difficult to predict that."
Baker used to head Formula One engine development at BMW and is now responsible for power unit development at Audi.
New technical regulations will apply from 2026, when cars will be just as powerful but will use less energy and produce net zero carbon exhaust emissions.
"That opens up greater opportunities to be competitive faster as a newcomer. The way to get there is cost-cap regulated. Everyone has the same chances, everyone has to deal with the same challenge for 2026. And the challenge will be as enormous as it has ever been in Formula One," Baker said.
"If you do a good job, there's a chance you can be right up front in 2026."
A German driver on the team would be ideal but Audi will not try to force the issue. Nico Hulkenberg will be the only German driver on the F1 grid next season after he replaced Mick Schumacher at Haas. Schumacher is now a reserve driver at Mercedes.
"It would be attractive, of course, but for us the performance of the drivers has priority," Baker said, adding that decisions on drivers for 2026 are "too far away. We're not even talking about the drivers for 2024 yet, so it's very difficult to say how the driver market will develop for 2026."
However, Baker announced that Audi will "bring a development driver on board for the third quarter" next year "who will be particularly important for our power unit development in the driving simulator."
The future Formula One team already has 220 employees at their Neuburg an der Donau base in Bavaria, the majority of whom come from Audi Sport Racing.
"We are already internationally positioned here at the site and the recruiting process is also geared this way. We are targeting experts who already have Formula One experience," explained Baker.
"This is the first time since 2009 that a power unit has been developed in Germany. Therefore, if we want experienced personnel, we are more likely to find them in the U.K., France or Italy."
The team is expected to grow to 300 employees by mid-2023.