bp Partners Audi Formula 1 Team

Dark/Light Mode (16/07/24)  Audi has expanded its partnership with bp as the German company prepares to enter the pinnacle of motor racing in 2026.

The parties have been working closely together for almost two years, co-engineering bp fuels and Castrol lubricants to enable maximum performance from the Audi F1 Power Unit.

The expanded collaboration includes the development of FIA-defined advanced sustainable fuel as required by the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations from 2026, that dictate the fuel must achieve greenhouse gas emissions savings relative to fossil-derived petrol of at least 65%.

bp will also develop and supply Audi with a range of bespoke Castrol lubricants and greases including Castrol EDGE, Castrol’s most advanced engine oil, for the V6 turbo engine, whilst electrical components of the Audi F1 Power Unit will use the Castrol ON range of EV fluids.

The companies have also signed a long-term sponsorship deal, with bp becoming the first official partner of the future Audi factory team in Formula 1.

Audi and bp have expanded their long-standing partnership

The agreement includes marketing and branding rights for bp, Castrol and Aral brands. Aral is bp’s fuel and retail brand in Germany.

“We are proud that Audi has once again chosen to partner with bp and Castrol, this time for their entry into Formula 1,” said Nicola Buck, SVP Marketing, bp. “It gives our premium brands the opportunity to showcase our technical expertise at the pinnacle of motorsport. We are already making great progress with the Audi F1 Project on the development of the bp fuel and Castrol lubricants as we seek to innovate and unlock maximum engine performance for the Audi F1 Power Unit from 2026.”

Audi and bp already have a long and successful joint history in motorsport with Castrol products being used to win in every Audi motorsport factory program.

The partnership began back in the 1980s in the World Rally Championship with the Audi quattro. Castrol was also a partner of Audi in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, FIA World Rallycross Championship, FIA Formula E World Championship and in the DTM race series.

The highly efficient 2 litre, 4-cylinder turbo engine developed by Audi and used in the DTM in 2019 and 2020, became the most successful engine in the Class 1 era of the DTM with Castrol lubricants and high-performance fuel developed by Aral.

“This partnership is of great importance to us. There will be strong competition in the field of sustainable fuels in Formula 1 from 2026,” said Adam Baker, CEO Audi Formula Racing GmbH. “In view of the high performance potential, it was important for us to start our fuel testing at the end of 2022 with bp as our partner. The combustion process is highly complex and can only be optimized by developing the engine in combination with the fuel properties. That’s why at Audi Formula Racing where we are well advanced with Audi’s F1 power unit development, we use all three single-cylinder test benches allowed by the FIA regulations intensively for fuel development. It is impressive how many different fuel variants we have developed to date as we prepare for our 2026 race season. I am convinced that we are perfectly positioned with bp and Castrol.”

Latest exclusive video interviews: Future of Air Travel - Interview with Sumesh Patel, President of SITA Asia Pacific; Miss International Queen 2024 (MIQ 2024) - Interview with Alisa Phanthusak, MD, Tiffany's Show Pattaya, Thailand; 16 HD Video Interviews from Routes Europe 2024 in Aarhus, Denmark; 9 HD Video Interviews from Routes Asia 2024 in Langkawi, Malaysia; Standard to Open Residences in Hua Hin and Phuket, Thailand; Video Interview with Amar Lalvani, Executive Chairman; 9 Exclusive Video Interviews from ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 in Vientiane, Laos; 8 NTO Press Conferences from ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 in Vientiane, Laos; 13 HD Video Interviews from World Travel Market 2023 in London, England; 5 HD Video Interviews from APG World Connect 2023 in Monaco, France; and 15 HD Video Interviews from Routes World 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye.