In response to the International Automobile Federation (FIA)'s recent announcement of a new 2026 racing system that will introduce advanced electrification technology and sustainable fuel, Audi announced a new partnership with bp, formerly known as British Petroleum and one of the world's six largest oil companies.
Prior to this, Audi had been collaborating with bp for nearly two years, including jointly developing bp fuel and bp's Castrol brand lubricants, allowing Audi vehicles to perform better in F2 events.
This new collaboration is in response to the FIA 2026 technical regulations requiring sustainable fuels, which must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 65%. The two companies plan to develop Castrol lubricants and greases exclusively for Audi vehicles, as well as the Castro ON series of liquid products for electric vehicles, to enable Audi vehicles to achieve higher performance.
At the same time, based on this technical cooperation, bp will establish a long-term cooperative relationship with Audi and become Audi's first official partner in Formula One. This cooperation will cover bp, Castrol, and the marketing rights of bp's fuel and retail product brands used in Germany.
Audi and bp have a long history of collaboration, including the 1980s World Rally Championship, where Castrol oils were used in various Audi racing programs. Castrol is also Audi's partner in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA World Rallycross Championship, the FIA Formula E World Championship, and the German Touring Car Masters (DTM).
The efficient 2019-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine developed by Audi and used in the 2020 and 2.0 German Touring Car Championships uses Castrol lubricants and Aral high-performance fuel, making this engine famous in the German Touring Car Championship.
