(Reuters) -German sportswear maker Adidas will become the apparel partner of the Audi Formula One team from next year in a multi-year partnership, Audi announced on Wednesday.
Swiss-based Sauber are becoming the factory Audi team in 2026, when Formula One starts a new engine era with major rule changes and an 11th team on the grid with the arrival of Cadillac.
"We are very proud to partner with the future Audi F1 team and support their debut into the highest level of competition for the sport," Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden said.
Audi and Adidas, who are also kit suppliers to the Mercedes Formula One team, will jointly release a product line featuring apparel, footwear, and accessories before the beginning of the 2026 season.
"Our partnership in Formula 1 goes far beyond the pursuit of innovation and peak performance: it combines the strengths and visions of two progressive brands," Gernot Doellner, chairman of the Volkswagen-owned Audi, said in a statement.
Sauber are eighth in the 10 team standings.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
