Audi - Repair and Service Redwood City - Audi to enter F1 in 2026 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

It's been the stuff of rumors for years, but Audi on Friday finally confirmed its intention to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship starting from 2026.

Audi won't go it alone. Instead it will partner with an existing team whose identity will be revealed later this year. It is expected to be Sauber, which currently competes in F1 as Alfa Romeo.

Audi will supply the power unit, development of which will be handled at Audi Sport's facility in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany. Overseeing the development will be Adam Baker, who has served as an FIA safety director in recent years and previously worked with Cosworth when it produced F1 power units, as well as with Sauber when it competed in F1 with BMW.

Baker will report to Rolf Michl, Audi Sport's current chief operating officer of racing. Michl will take over the lead role at Audi Sport from current chief Julius Seebach on Sept. 1.

Audi's entry in F1, together with a likely entry by fellow Volkswagen Group brand Porsche, hinged on new power unit rules scheduled to be introduced in 2026 adopting a focus on sustainability and cost efficiency. Those rules were finalized earlier in August and will see F1 move to 100% sustainable fuel.

Crucially for both automakers' electric future, the new power unit rules call for an increase in electrical power to 469 hp from the 160 hp of today's hybrid power unit. The new power unit will also use a turbo 1.6-liter V-6 in a hybrid configuration, the same internal-combustion engine format used today, but while peak output of the system will match the 1,000-plus-hp of today, overall fuel usage during a race should drop from about 220 lb to 154 lb.

Adam Baker

 

Porsche is yet to announce its F1 plans, but the automaker is rumored to be planning a partnership with Red Bull Racing as the team's power unit supplier. The rumors also point to Porsche buying a 50% stake in the leading team.

Audi also confirmed on Friday it is discontinuing its previous plan to return to top-level endurance racing in 2023 with an LMDh race car, in order to focus its resources on the F1 effort.

While Audi hasn't competed in F1 before, it does have a history of Grand Prix racing, having dominated on racetracks together with Mercedes-Benz during the 1930s, when it was known as Auto Union. Porsche does have a history in F1, having competed as a constructor in the 1950s and '60s and then briefly as a power unit supplier in the 1980s and early '90s.

 source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1136957_audi-to-enter-f1-in-2026

 

by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com

Aston Martin - Repair and Service Redwood City - Aston Martin reveals poster-worthy 705-hp DBR22 speedster - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

 

Aston Martin on Monday revealed the DBR22, a sultry speedster set to make its formal debut on Aug. 19 at 2022 Monterey Car Week.

The DBR22 is officially a concept car, though such a stunning design is too good to waste and Aston Martin has hinted strongly a small production run will happen. The number of cars built is likely dependent on how much interest the Monterey showing garners.

The DBR22 is the creation of Q by Aston Martin. It was built to mark this year's 10th anniversary of the founding of Aston Martin's official personalization department, but more importantly it highlights the division's talent and breadth of capability. Previous creations have included the Vulcan track car and Victor supercar.

Aston Martin DBR22

 

The DBR22 features a design strongly influenced by the DBR1, the race car that earned Aston Martin its sole 24 Hours of Le Mans outright victory back in 1959, with legends Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby doing the driving. The later DB3S race car from 1953 also played a part in the design, Aston Martin said.

The design is a clear continuation of Aston Martin's current themes but with a lack of creases and panel gaps. There's also the new grille design with carbon-fiber that fills in for the traditional metal veins. Carbon fiber is also used for the rest of the body panels.

The underlying structure is shared with Aston Martin's sports cars, and no doubt the similar V12 Speedster limited edition launched by Aston Martin in 2020. Unique modifications included new front and rear shear panels added to improve torsional rigidity, along with a new aluminum subframe that Aston Martin crafted using multiple 3D-printed parts. It also has unique calibrations for the adaptive dampers and transmission, we're told.

Aston Martin DBR22

 

Power comes from Aston Martin's twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12, tuned in this application to deliver 705 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic and drives the rear wheels only. The combination with the lightweight speedster body means 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph.

You're going to want to wear a helmet when traveling at any serious speed, though Aston Martin adds elements to help reduce turbulence in the cockpit area. There's the large horseshoe-shaped vent in the front hood and small wind deflector designed to channel air over the cockpit area, as well as the pair of nacelles on the rear deck that smooth out the airflow in the rear.

Inside is a new dashboard with digital displays. It takes on a different look than current cars, and we wouldn't be surprised if it ends up in Aston Martin's updated sports car range due next year.

Aston Martin DBR22

 

Aston Martin has another debut planned for Monterey Car Week, a V12 Vantage Roadster. The event is currently underway and culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Aug. 21.

 

 source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1136819_aston-martin-reveals-poster-worthy-705-hp-dbr22-speedster

by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com