Today's Edition
BERLIN (DPA)
Audi revealed their car for their debut Formula One season in a launch event in Berlin on Tuesday.
The German car manufacturers are entering the sport as a works team, having bought up the Swiss Sauber outfit which has been in F1 for decades.
Audi will make their Grand Prix debut in Australia with a machine that will be powered by their inaugural F1 power unit.
The R26 features a striking titanium, carbon fibre and lava red livery, which was first teased at a launch event in Munich last November.
"Today marks more than a launch, it marks the public declaration of a new era for Audi. Formula 1 is the most demanding stage in the world of motorsport, and we are here not just to compete, but to define the future of 'Vorsprung durch Technik' ("progress through technology, Audi's slogan"), Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said.
In their driver line-up, Audi will have Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, who raced together last year for then Kick Sauber.
"We are a true works team with a clear, long-term vision backed by \immense resources and world-class expertise. For a driver, the proposition of being with Audi at the very start of its journey is exceptionally exciting," Hülkenberg said.
Team principal Jonathan Wheatley, who joined the team after nearly two decades at Red Bull, added: "This car is the physical embodiment of thousands of hours of hard work from a hugely talented group of people across our facilities. We will turn our long-term ambition into on-track reality, day by day, decision by decision."
The season starts on March 8 in Australia. Before that, Bahrain hosts official pre-season testing on February 11-13 and February 18-20.
