With a global audience that continues to grow and a more stable economic framework, Audi sees Formula One as a key technological and marketing platform.

Composite materials, a technical foundation

Formula One has long been a cutting-edge laboratory for the development and optimisation of composite materials. The future Audi single-seater will naturally be able to draw on the full range of solutions already standardised within the discipline, while simultaneously preparing new applications compatible with the demands of the 2026 regulations.

Although Audi has not yet publicly disclosed the materials used on its car, the central structure – the monocoque – could be manufactured from polymer-matrix carbon composites, offering an unrivalled strength-to-weight ratio and the energy-absorption capability required to pass FIA crash tests. Aerodynamic components, from the engine cover to the wings, could in turn rely on carbon prepregs optimised for mechanical stability and precise deformation control.

Areas subjected to intense thermal loads, particularly around the hybrid system and turbocharger, require high-temperature resins and advanced composites capable of withstanding extreme thermal gradients. To this must be added carbon/carbon braking systems, essential for operating reliably at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C.