The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) announced on Friday ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix that it had acquired a “significant” minority stake in Sauber Holding AG, which will become Audi’s factory team in 2026.

The QIA said in a statement that it would join the F1 project as a long-term investor and partner, bringing a “substantial capital injection” that will increase infrastructure and team buildout. The stake is reported to be around 30%, with the investment expected to amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

This marks the $510 billion fund‘s first major venture into F1, which further strengthens the Gulf region’s footprint in the sport. Bahrain’s state-owned Mumtalakat now fully owns the McLaren Group after raising its stake from 60% to 100% earlier this year, while Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, partners with both F1 and the Aston Martin team. QIA also holds a 17% stake in Audi’s parent, the Volkswagen Group.

“The investment by QIA reflects the trust and confidence the Audi F1 Project has already garnered, underscoring unwavering commitment of Audi to the initiative,” said Gernot Dollner, the CEO of Audi. “This additional capital will accelerate the team’s growth and is yet another milestone on our long-term strategy. QIA’s involvement further energizes the dedicated efforts at both the Hinwil and Neuburg facilities as they work towards the entry of Audi in 2026.”

Qatar held its inaugural F1 event in 2021 and is currently on a long-term contract to stay on the F1 calendar until at least 2033. It joins Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as the four grands prix held in the Middle East.

“Audi is a premium partner of choice with a rich motorsport legacy,” said Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA. “As a long-standing investor in the Volkswagen Group, we believe in Audi’s vision and direction when entering Formula 1 and our investment will support the realization of this goal.”

Al-Sowaidi also pointed out that the global popularity of Formula 1 was one of the factors influencing QIA’s decision to make its first major investment in the sport.

Audi’s 2026 F1 Project

Audi announced back in 2022 its plan to enter the F1 grid as a power unit supplier and later named Sauber as their strategic partner. In 2023, they acquired a 25% stake in the Swiss-based team before opting for a complete takeover earlier this year, securing a 100% stake to gain full control by 2026 instead of the originally planned 75% in three tranches. Now the German marque will enter the sport as a constructor and engine manufacturer.

This year has also seen a number of changes to the Audi project, including a leadership shakeup within the team. Ex-Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto replaced former Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl to become head of the F1 project, while Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will join as team principal and management spokesperson in 2025.

Currently, Sauber is at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, having failed to score any points over the past 22 races this season.

Drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will depart the team at the end of the year, with Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg and current Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto stepping in as their replacements.

Both Hulkenberg and Bortoleto have signed multi-year contracts to race for the team as it transitions to the Audi brand in 2026, when new regulatory changes come into effect.

F1 is also set to expand the grid in 2026 after reaching an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to welcome GM/Cadillac as the 11th team.