Audi has signed a three-year deal to become the official sponsor of Sky Sports F1, beginning with tonight's coverage of the F1 75 Live event in London.

Also included in the deal is pre-season testing which begins in Bahrain on February 26, followed by the season opening weekend in Australia starting March 14.

Planned and brokered by Sky Media and Omnicom Media Group's PHD, the new partnership encompasses all areas of the "Sky Media ecosystem" (groan) and includes sponsorship across broadcast, Sky Sports digital platforms, with extension via Sky Advance, as well as coverage via Sky Sports social channels and the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

Sky is the official broadcaster of F1 in the UK and Ireland until 2029.

According to the official release, "the 2024 season broke viewing records for Sky Sports, as close battles up and down the grid created an unpredictable and thrilling experience for fans. The British Grand Prix became the most-watched British GP ever. Additionally, video views across the YouTube channel, website, and app significantly increased".

With Audi entering the sport in 2026, there are sure to be fear of bias, though at least Christian Horner may no longer be the 'go to' interviewee.

"Innovative engineering has always been an Audi trademark," said Tony Moore, Head of Marketing at Audi UK, "especially embodied in our range of performance cars. We're excited to launch our partnership with Sky Sports Formula 1, the perfect platform through which to celebrate Vorsprung durch Technik."

"Our partnership with Audi is truly multi-faceted," added Karin Seymour, Director of Client & Marketing at Sky Media. "F1 has become one of the fastest-growing sports, with an increasingly diverse and engaged fan base driving record TV viewership and online engagement. As partners to Sky Sports F1, we're helping Audi connect with this new wave of fans and be at the heart of the conversation."

"We are delighted to have extended Audi's relationship with Sky Sports, in addition to our award-winning Innovation partnership," said Tom Rovery, Partnerships Business Director at PHD. "I'm confident that Audi & Sky Sports F1 will be a potent partnership of performance for years to come."