{"id":403366,"date":"2026-01-10T03:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T03:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/403366\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T03:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T03:40:13","slug":"f1-news-first-look-at-2026-f1-car-as-audi-runs-in-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/403366\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 news: First look at 2026 F1 car as Audi runs in Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAudi has become the first F1 team in 2026 to hit the track. Image: Audi F1 Instagram<\/p>\n

The landmark outing comes as Audi edges closer to its long-awaited factory debut, with the former Sauber operation now fully rebranded as the Audi Revolut F1 Team and counting down to the start of the new technical era.<\/p>\n

The R26 turned its first laps at Barcelona on Friday, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto sharing driving duties across the day.<\/p>\n

Although Audi has not released any clear imagery of the car, it did publish two deliberately obfuscated pitlane photographs from Barcelona \u2014 one a distant, colour front-on silhouette and the other a black-and-white rear view taken in the garage \u2014 as fan-shot video and images circulated online offering the first glimpse of a 2026-spec F1 car in motion.<\/p>\n

On track, the R26 ran in a subdued all-black appearance, consistent with Audi\u2019s decision to keep its definitive design details hidden until its official launch in Berlin on January 20.<\/p>\n

The team had previously unveiled a concept livery featuring titanium, carbon black and Audi red, but the Barcelona running was deliberately discreet.<\/p>\n

Despite the limited visibility, the footage confirmed several expected hallmarks of the new 2026 regulations.<\/p>\n

The car appears noticeably narrower than its predecessor, with a raised nose and a front wing shaped to promote in-wash airflow, in line with the FIA\u2019s renewed focus on wake control.<\/p>\n

Passaggio sul rettilineo del Montmelo\u2019 della Audi R26. Aspettare fino alla fine del video. #F1<\/a> #AudiF1<\/a> #R26<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/QqIAdp93nB<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 RobertoF1 (@robertofunoat) January 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The front suspension also marks a clear shift, with Audi reverting to a push-rod layout after Sauber had favoured pull-rod designs during the previous rules cycle.<\/p>\n

Audi has stressed that the purpose of the day was not performance-related, but rather to ensure all systems operated as intended ahead of pre-season testing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe filming day was an opportunity to check the full functionality of the car ahead of the start of the season,\u201d Audi told The Race in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team\u2019s focus for the day was not on car handling or performance, as those will be the scope for pre-season testing, starting in Barcelona at the end of the month.\u201d<\/p>\n

Audi\u2019s appearance at Barcelona made it the first outfit to debut a full 2026 car and engine package, with the rest of the grid set to follow later this month.<\/p>\n

All 11 teams will attend a private, behind-closed-doors test at the same circuit from January 26\u201330, before further testing in Bahrain across February 11\u201313 and February 18\u201320.<\/p>\n

All the key dates ahead of the 2026 F1 season<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n


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