Audi is integrating its performance bonafides into the Formula 1 experience, confirming the new RS 5 will serve as a featured car in the F1 Pirelli Hot Lap program starting with the Miami Grand Prix.
The move places the Sedan version of Audi’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid in front of customers and guests at race circuits, offering passenger laps with professional drivers as part of the official Formula 1 support program. It also aligns with Audi’s broader push to rebuild its presence in the U.S., using F1 as a platform in that process.
ON THE NEW RS 5 IN CASE YOU’VE MISSED IT
At the center of that performance road car program is the new RS 5, which combines a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor for a total system output of 470 kW (639 hp) and a top speed of up to 285 km/h. Given the similarities, one could say the hybrid system parallels the direction of modern F1 powertrains by pairing internal combustion with electrification.
The RS 5 also introduces a new evolution of Audi’s quattro system with Dynamic Torque Control, an electromechanical torque vectoring setup that actively distributes power across the rear axle. The system is designed to improve cornering response and stability, particularly under load, reinforcing Audi’s positioning of hybridization as a performance enabler rather than a compromise.
THE F1 PIRELLI HOT LAP AUDI RS 5 SPEC & PROGRAM DETAILS
Two production-spec RS 5 models will be used in the program without additional mechanical modifications. They are distinguished by a Titanium exterior finish with Lava Red Audi rings and accents, a visual cue that links the cars to Audi’s forthcoming F1 challenger, the Audi R26.
That same specification appears consistent with two RS 5 units recently seen in transit through a U.S. air freight facility earlier this week, suggesting those vehicles are the exact cars now entering Hot Lap duty.
Driving duties will be handled by Audi factory veterans Dindo Capello and Markus Winkelhock, both of whom bring extensive endurance and touring car experience.
Audi’s decision to debut the RS 5 in this role at Miami is strategically significant. The U.S. remains one of the fastest-growing markets for Formula 1, with races in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas drawing record attendance and viewership. The brand is using that momentum to support a wider product offensive that includes upcoming SUV launches and an expanded electrified lineup.
The Hot Lap program effectively turns the RS 5 into a rolling preview of Audi Sport’s next phase, bridging current road cars with its Formula 1 entry.
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