When BP and Castrol announced their return to Formula 1 with Audi for the 2026 season, it marked the end of a decades-long absence for the fuel giant. But this is not a simple sticker-on-the-car sponsorship. BP supplies the fuel, Castrol provides the lubricants, and together they form a foundational pillar of Audi’s works entry. According to Nicola Buck, BP’s senior vice president of global marketing and Castrol CMO, the partnership is a ‘true co-engineering journey’ that allows both companies to develop the powertrain together, aiming to give the team the extra power needed to win on track.
The decision to return was heavily influenced by the sweeping engine regulation changes that came into effect in 2026. These created a rare opening for Audi to enter as a new powertrain supplier, complete with dedicated fuel and lubricant partners. For BP, it was an opportunity to be involved with a team entering F1 from the start and build that out together. ‘It’s an opportunity for us to showcase our technology credentials, our innovation credentials, and our partnership credentials,’ Buck explained.
But would BP have come back without the dramatic transformation of F1 under Liberty Media? Buck’s answer is a straightforward no. ‘You go back four or five years, F1 numbers were declining. It wasn’t a sport that had the growth that it has today. It was a sport that we were questioning our involvement in for the long term.’ Now, the audience has dramatically shifted, with a new generation of fans who have no memory of the Le Mans partnership. For them, it’s a modern take on a sport for the future, while still building off that heritage.
The depth of the Audi alliance goes far beyond traditional sponsorship. BP and Castrol are tapping into the wider BP technology brain for skills and specialisms that would be difficult to have within the core team, says Luc Jolly, BP’s motorsport technology lead. ‘The shared learnings are real. We might not be talking about all of them yet, but that’s going to be part of this journey over the coming years.’
Castrol’s historical success with Audi, which includes victories across the World Endurance Championship, DTM, Dakar Rally, and Formula E, laid a solid foundation for the deal. ‘Having worked with Audi previously, as two organisations, we know how to work together and get the best out of each other. Some of the team members are actually the same. So, there’s a natural sense of not starting from scratch,’ Jolly added.
So far, the on-track performance has been promising. Audi secured points on debut, followed by three more top-10 finishes across Silverstone, Spa, and Hungary. For BP and Castrol, these results have already made a tangible impact. ‘For us to be in a true technology partnership with a team that’s performing so well in its first season, it does wonders for the halo impact on the brand,’ Buck noted.
Strong track results translate directly into consumer trust. Buck explains that Audi’s competitiveness allows BP and Castrol to better communicate ‘how brilliant our fuels and lubes are to the general public, and upsell the products that we’re so proud of.’ The partnership also deepens commercial ties with the wider Volkswagen Group, opening doors to supply products across other VW-owned manufacturers.
Measuring success goes beyond just sales. BP and Castrol run tracking programmes to see if the partnership is helping build brand association amongst target audiences around the world. They also measure internal optics, using the partnership to build pride within the organisation. A physical trackside presence, including BP’s fuel lab and activations with drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto, and F1 Academy’s Emma Felbermayr, allows both brands to engage stakeholders directly.
Initial coverage of the BP-Audi partnership in March 2026 was overwhelmingly positive, buoyed by BP being among the first suppliers to homologate its fuel for F1’s new regulatory era. The data backs it up, says Buck.
It will take time to know the full returns of this partnership, but the capitalisation on the 2026 rules reset, Audi’s F1 debut, and a growing F1 fanbase is already paying dividends. As Buck put it, ‘There is an element of a blank slate.’ For BP and Castrol, that slate is being written with a new chapter in their long motorsport history.
