Audi R26 Breaks Cover: First Laps Complete in Barcelona Ahead of 2026 F1 Campaign

Audi has taken a major step toward its debut as a full works team in Formula 1’s 2026 season, completing the first on-track runs with its new challenger, the R26, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on January 9, 2026. This outing marked the first time the German manufacturer’s 2026 car hit the tarmac, attracting significant attention online with footage and photos circulating on social networks even before any official team release.

Both of Audi’s drivers, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg, took turns behind the wheel during a filming day, a type of session permitted under FIA rules that allows teams to run their cars for promotional and basic evaluation purposes ahead of formal testing. The focus was not on outright speed or race performance, but on validating the car’s systems and gathering initial data.

Though images and videos of the R26 circulated widely, Audi itself stayed tight-lipped about the visuals, offering only limited official material afterward. The team did confirm that the shakedown was “successful” in terms of checking the car’s functionality and getting important early mileage — up to the session’s regulatory limit of about 200 km (roughly 42 laps) — on the new power unit developed entirely in-house.

This first run in Spain is a milestone in Audi’s transition from its Sauber acquisition into a full manufacturer outfit. It sets the stage for upcoming activities, including the official car launch in Berlin on January 20, followed by the planned pre-season tests later this month back at Barcelona and subsequent sessions in Bahrain, before the 2026 World Championship begins.