The 2026 competition season is about to begin, and Audi Revolut F1 is beginning to activate in Australia for its very first round. All that and more can be found below.
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRX PRE-RACE ACTIVATION
Ahead of its debut FIA Formula 1 World Championship weekend, the Audi Revolut F1 Team is rolling out something larger than a standard paddock hospitality suite. Instead of confining its presence to Albert Park, the team is turning Melbourne itself into an extension of the grid.
AFLOAT BECOMES AUDI FLOATING FAN HQ
At the center of the activation is AFLOAT, the premium floating bar and cantina anchored on the Yarra River. For race week, it transforms into Audi Revolut F1 Team’s public headquarters.
Open from Thursday through race day, AFLOAT becomes a fan pavilion where every on-track session streams live. An R26 show car stands as the focal point — Audi’s first F1 entry presented up close for fans who may never step inside the paddock.
Alongside it sits a reminder that this project didn’t begin in 2026. The legendary “Crocodile” liveried Audi R8 LMP — winner of the 2000 “Race of a Thousand Years” in Adelaide — will also anchor the display in Audi’s endurance racing heritage.
Interactive simulators, mission-control inspired installations and a 180-degree spatial film experience on Apple Vision Pro round out the space.
FROM CIRCUIT TO COFFEE BAR
What makes this activation different is how far beyond the river it stretches.
Melbourne is one of the world’s true coffee capitals, and Audi is leaning into that identity through a city-wide collaboration with Axil Coffee Roasters. Across 16 locations — from the CBD to Melbourne University and even the airport — co-branded race-week coffee experiences insert the team into the city’s daily routine.
Meanwhile, cult-favorite Nico’s Deli becomes an unlikely extension of the paddock. Drivers Nico Hülkenberg (#27) and Gabriel Bortoleto (#5) have each created a limited-edition signature sandwich for race week, available for nine days across four locations in co-branded packaging.
It reaches beyond the circuit to inject Audi’s F1 efforts into a mainstream experience that is unmistakably local — exactly the kind of touch that keeps a global team from feeling parachuted in.
PARTNERS POWER THE CITY TAKEOVER
Audi’s global partners are woven into the experience.
- bp activates beyond the city center with a dedicated fuel station takeover tied to the AFLOAT hub.
- Gillette installs the Barber Box, offering race-ready styling sessions with top Melbourne barbers.
- adidas hosts community social runs on race weekend mornings, blending motorsport with movement culture.
- Title partner Revolut curates sunset DJ sessions at AFLOAT and presents “OverTake: The After Party” at The Timber Yard on Saturday night.
The week experience is intended less like a sponsor checklist and more like a curated and welcoming festival program with the greater Audi F1 family.
DIFFERENT KIND OF F1 DEBUT
Chief Commercial Officer Stefano Battiston framed the initiative as a statement of how Audi intends to operate in Formula 1: performance on track, but with cultural integration off track.
That’s a shift from the traditional F1 model. Historically, teams arrive, compete and depart. Audi sees a different vision, with Formula 1 presence as platform-driven — city-specific, community-oriented and designed to build relevance beyond the race.
Melbourne is their first test case. The team has already indicated similar city-wide activations will follow throughout the 2026 season.
MORE INFORMATION ON AUSTRALIAN ACTIVATION ACTIVITIES
For full program details and public access information, https://www.audif1.com/en/2026/melbourne/activation/overview
F1 ACADEMY CAR & SPONSOR REVEAL
The Audi Revolut F1 Team has revealed its 2026 F1 Academy livery, with Emma Felbermayr set to carry the team’s colors into the new season. The design aligns with the broader Audi F1 look, reinforcing a unified appearance across its Formula 1 operations rather than treating F1 Academy as a standalone effort.
Primary partners Revolut, bp and adidas will be featured on the car, maintaining continuity with the main program. Joining the platform for 2026 is Baylis & Harding, a UK-based bath, body and home fragrance brand, adding a new consumer-facing sponsor to the team’s expanding portfolio of partners.
The overall presentation is consistent and direct, signaling that Audi’s F1 Academy entry is fully integrated into its long-term Formula 1 strategy as the brand builds its presence across both the main grid and the junior development ladder.
F1: DRIVE TO SURVIVE SEASON 8 AVAILABLE TOMORROW
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Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 8 drops tomorrow (February 27). Audi isn’t part of it, at least not wearing four rings and their new livery. However, drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto do take on the series with the Sauber team. Here’s a closer look of what you can expect.
Watch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81781898