As the Audi brand machine lands in its first Formula 1 Grand Prix Weekend in Melbourne Australia, the brand is setting a high bar when it comes to presence. The more we see from just the beginning of this first race weekend, the more there is to share.
While the race itself takes place Sunday at Albert Park, Audi and the new Audi Revolut F1 Team have already transformed Melbourne into a showcase for the brand through a series of activations that connect Formula 1 technology, RS performance models and the company’s motorsport heritage.
From vehicle reveals to fan hubs, heritage displays, partner integrations and city-center partnerships, Audi’s presence has extended far beyond the racetrack as it introduces its Formula 1 program while aiming to build fans of F1 and fans of Audi across the city.
R:1🇦🇺 AUDI BRAND ACTIVITIES & ACTIVATIONS
FIRST SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE APPEARANCE FOR AUDI RS 5
One of the most visible moments of the launch came Thursday evening at Albert Park when Audi Revolut F1 Team drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto unveiled the new Audi RS 5. The reveal marked the first public appearance of the latest RS model in the Southern Hemisphere, arriving just weeks after its global debut.
The new RS 5 represents a turning point for Audi Sport as the first RS production model to feature hybrid power. Audi highlighted the parallel with Formula 1’s current generation of hybrid power units, where electrification now accounts for a significant portion of the car’s performance output.
To emphasize that connection, Audi released a film showing the RS 5 circulating the Albert Park circuit while connected to engineers from the Audi Revolut F1 Team operating remotely from a “Mission Control” environment. The demonstration underscored the growing link between motorsport engineering and Audi’s next generation of high-performance road cars.
AUDI HERITAGE ARRIVES WITH THE “CROCODILE” R8
Audi also brought a piece of racing history to Melbourne. Audi Tradition transported the famous Audi R8 endurance prototype featuring the distinctive “crocodile” livery for display during the Grand Prix weekend.
The car holds a special place in Audi’s motorsport history after winning the “Race of a Thousand Years” in Adelaide on December 31, 2000. One of the drivers who secured that victory, Allan McNish, was present in Melbourne and took the wheel once again for a demonstration appearance. McNish now leads the Audi Driver Development Programme, making the moment both a nostalgic return and a symbol of the brand’s continued investment in future racing talent.
FLOATING TEAM HUB ON THE YARRA RIVER
Away from the circuit, Audi has established a central gathering point for fans at AFLOAT, a premium floating venue on the Yarra River in downtown Melbourne. The venue serves as the Audi Revolut F1 Team’s public headquarters throughout the Grand Prix weekend.
Open to visitors since Thursday, the floating hub features a show car version of the Audi R26 Formula 1 machine alongside historic race cars and other displays. Guests can watch live race sessions, interact with team representatives and experience the brand’s Formula 1 entry in an environment designed to bring the paddock atmosphere into the heart of the city.
TRACKSIDE HOSPITALITY AND CELEBRITY GUESTS
Audi’s Melbourne program also includes hospitality experiences at Albert Park. Among the highlights is the Audi Trackside Suite located opposite the pit lane exit, where guests will experience the race weekend from a premium vantage point.
The suite will also feature cuisine prepared by renowned chef Guillaume Brahimi, one of Australia’s most recognized culinary figures. Additional guests attending Audi’s events throughout the week have included local personalities such as Australian surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore, reflecting the broader cultural reach of the brand’s Formula 1 launch.
SUPPORTING WOMEN IN MOTORSPORT
Coinciding with International Women’s Day, Audi Australia hosted a networking lunch ahead of the Grand Prix for participants in the FIA’s “Girls on Track” initiative. The program is designed to encourage young women to pursue careers in motorsport and engineering.
Members of the Audi Revolut F1 Team met with participants to share insights about their careers and provide professional guidance, reinforcing Audi’s support of efforts to expand diversity and opportunities within the sport.
CITY-WIDE BRAND ACTIVATIONS
Beyond the circuit and hospitality venues, Audi’s Formula 1 debut has extended across Melbourne through a series of additional collaborations and activations. These include pop-ups and brand experiences at locations such as the adidas Originals store in the city center, helping bring the Audi Revolut F1 Team presence into everyday city life during race week.
The broader program ensures that Audi’s arrival in Formula 1 is visible throughout Melbourne rather than confined to the race track.
- Teaming with Melbourne’s own Nico’s Deli, the team worked to create two sandwiches – the #27 and the #5 aligned with the tastes of Nico and Gabi. The #5 is a slow-cooked oxtail mozzarella with fresh tomato and chimmi salsa. The #27 is a braised pork with swiss cheese, mortadella, cucumber, parsley slaw and garlic mayo.
- Fueling more than the cars, the brand linked up with Axil Coffee Roasters – “the best coffee in town”. With 16 locations across Melbourne, this offered a major point of outreach throughout the city.
- A collaboration with Hayden Shapes resulted in a special edition of their DarkNoiz Carbonyx full-carbon fiber high-performance surfboards for the drivers designed to match the livery of the Audi R26 with matte metallic silver, gloss carbon and Audi’s signature Lava Red. A third board was donated to the Audi Foundation to support their initiatives. The third board will be on display at Audi locations including the Audi Trackside Suite throughout the weekend.
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 every day from 5PM to 1AM and presents “OverTake: The After Party” at The Timber Yard on Saturday night.
- Castrol hosted a competition of its own pitting three influencers against Nico Hulkenberg in a series of driving challenges.
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.
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.
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
Go HERE for full program details and public access information.
A NEW ERA FOR AUDI IN MOTORSPORT
According to Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, the company’s Formula 1 entry represents a defining moment for the brand’s future both on and off the track. He described the project as a demonstration of what focused teamwork and engineering precision can achieve in a sport where every millisecond matters.
Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix marks the first race for the Audi Revolut F1 Team and the beginning of a long-term program that the company hopes will lead to world championship contention by the end of the decade.
Audi’s Formula 1 debut also continues a motorsport tradition that stretches back more than a century. From the Auto Union Grand Prix cars of the 1930s to rally dominance, touring car success and hybrid victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi has repeatedly used racing as a proving ground for innovation. With its entry into Formula 1 now underway, that legacy enters its next chapter.
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