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Audi has announced Porsche veteran and one-time Toro Rosso reserve driver Neel Jani as its designated ‘simulator driver’ for its 2026 Formula 1 engine programme.
Jani, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours and the overall World Endurance Championship title with Porsche in 2016, will take up the role on what Audi is describing as an “update of the dynamic driving simulator” at the Neuburg site its hybrid power unit is being developed at.
Audi has had a single-cylinder test engine in operation since late 2022, and expects to run a prototype version of its 2026 F1 engine on the test bench before the end of this year.
The vastly experienced Jani has prior F1 experience as a test driver, having completed a full season of Friday outings with Red Bull’s sister outfit Toro Rosso – now AlphaTauri – in its maiden campaign in 2006.
It is that experience as well as his extensive work with Porsche in the WEC, where he helped with the development of the 919 Hybrid it fielded from 2014-17, that Jani said will be of benefit to Audi as it develops its engine.
“I am delighted to accompany Audi on their way into Formula 1,” said 39-year-old Jani.
“It is both an honour and a great responsibility to be involved in a project of this magnitude at an early stage. I am sure that with my experience from Formula 1 and LMP projects I can forge good links between theory and practice.”
Explaining what Audi had looked for among its candidates for the development role, technical development managing board member Oliver Hoffmann said Audi required a driver “who in addition to a grasp of technology brings versatile experience to the project, especially in terms of energy management in racing conditions”.
Jani also drove for Porsche in its maiden Formula E campaign in 2019-20; his 20th-place finish in the standings, with a solitary points finish, came two years after he abruptly quit the Dragon outfit one round into his first campaign in the championship.
But the Swiss driver has enjoyed far more success on the international single-seater stage: he was a race winner in each of the four A1GP seasons he contested for his home nation, which included landing the title in the 2007-08 campaign.
Following his spell as Toro Rosso’s third driver he headed to ChampCar for 2007, finishing ninth overall for the PKV Racing team with three podium finishes.
Jani’s 2023 will also include a return of sorts to the Porsche ranks when he joins the Proton team that is due to field a customer Porsche 963 for the remainder of the WEC season.
