The incoming Audi F1 team are set to land a lucrative deal with Mercedes apparel partners Adidas for the F1 2026 season, it has been claimed.

Audi F1 will make their highly anticipated Formula 1 debut next year when the German manufacturer rebrand the existing Sauber team.

Audi F1 set to secure Adidas deal for F1 2026 season

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

As reported by PlanetF1.com, Audi F1 completed their full takeover of Sauber at the start of 2025 with a full rebrand of the Swiss-based outfit set to take place ahead of Formula 1’s new era in F1 2026.

Adidas took its first step into Formula 1 earlier this year by replacing Puma as the apparel partner of Mercedes, the eight-time Constructors’ champions.

And it has emerged that the iconic German brand is set to add Audi F1 to its portfolio next season with a deal on the horizon.

A report by the respected business website SportBusiness has claimed that Adidas will become an Audi F1 partner in time for the team’s relaunch in F1 2026.

Sauber declined to comment when approached by PlanetF1.com.

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Audi F1’s deal with Adidas is expected to have no impact on Mercedes’ arrangement with the sportswear giants, with it commonplace for teams to share suppliers.

The McLaren and Red Bull teams both currently have deals in place with Castore, for instance, with Ferrari among a number of teams to be linked to Puma.

As previously reported by PlanetF1.com, McLaren are set to secure a Puma deal for F1 2026 having decided to end their deal with Castore one year early. 

In February, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff revealed that seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton was disappointed to miss out on fronting the landmark deal with Adidas having already committed to joining Ferrari for F1 2025 when the deal was secured.

Wolff said: “Lewis said that it’s probably the sports brand with the most cultural relevance.

“He had a crying and laughing [reaction], I think, knowing that we were going to Adidas.”

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Sauber have been preparing for their F1 2026 transition over recent years with a number of key figures in place for next season.

Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari team principal, was appointed to the dual role of chief operating and technical officer last summer, effectively replacing ex-McLaren boss Andreas Seidl.

The signing of Binotto was swiftly followed by the arrival of Jonathan Wheatley, the former Red Bull sporting director who was appointed as team principal.

Wheatley officially began his new role ahead of this year’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

The current Sauber driver lineup of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto is set to remain in place for F1 2026 after both drivers were signed to multi-year deals in 2024.

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