Audi confident on weight target, rivals face tough choices

Feb.9 (GMM) Audi believes it has a realistic shot at meeting Formula 1’s sharply reduced minimum weight for 2026, bucking early fears that the new limit would be out of reach for most of the grid.

Under the new regulations, minimum weight drops by 30 kilograms to 770kg – a figure that alarmed engineers when it was announced in 2024, especially alongside tougher crash-test requirements. But according to Auto Motor und Sport, the picture has shifted significantly as teams near the first race.

Audi technical chief James Key says weight reduction has been treated as a priority rather than a secondary concern.

“When there are requirements that have such a significant impact, you have to develop a specific plan,” Key said. “Weight management is one of this team’s strengths.”

Key pointed to Sauber’s history at Hinwil, where the squad famously ran below the minimum weight at the start of the ground-effect era in 2022, even carrying ballast while rivals struggled. That advantage translated directly into performance before the rest of the field caught up.

Whether Audi is fully there yet remains unclear.

“We don’t know for sure ourselves,” Key admitted. “The cars we’ve run so far still had a lot of sensors on board. I hope we can get close to the limit.”

Rivals are far more circumspect. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said his team should be “reasonably well” positioned, while Alpine has indicated it has hit internal targets. At Williams, however, there are persistent paddock rumours that the FW48 is carrying extra kilos – something team principal James Vowles declined to confirm.

“We won’t know the exact weight until all sensors are removed,” Vowles said. “If we’re a few kilos over in Melbourne, then we’ll go on a strict diet.”

The tighter limit no longer appears unrealistic, and some believe the FIA could push even harder in future seasons. Key, however, stopped short of endorsing further reductions.

“That depends on where everyone else ends up,” he said. “You have to think strategically.”

Beyond the chassis, Audi insiders stress that weight is only one piece of the 2026 puzzle. Fuel development could prove just as decisive.

Audi F1 project chief Mattia Binotto warned that differences in sustainable fuel performance alone could be worth up to half a second per lap.

“Fuel directly impacts engine performance,” Binotto said. “The difference between good and bad fuel can be 10 to 15 kilowatts – around 15 horsepower. That’s four tenths or even half a second per lap.”

As a visible sign of that focus, Audi has placed its ‘BP’ branding prominently on the rear engine cover – an area once reserved for race numbers – underlining just how central fuel has become in the new era.

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