Audi conducted a filming day in Barcelona on Friday, as they put their first-ever Formula 1 car, the R26, through its paces.The team that took over Sauber ahead of the 2026 F1 season releases photos of their test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.Both Audi drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, were on driving duty for the filming day.
Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley were also in attendance alongside other team members.
Many photos were circulating online claiming it was the R26, but they were fake or AI-generated, as it turned out the real car was in the photos Audi released.
However, they are not clear, and all we could see was a black car with all the details blurred or out of focus to hide the true looks of the car and any design details.
The R26 the first 2026 F1 car to run
Audi became the first team to give their 2026 F1 car a shakedown, which is something beneficial to them as they look to run their first ever F1 power unit for the first time.
As per the rules, running was limited to 200 km, which is not bad as a team seeks to gather initial data from their chassis and power unit.
The Pirelli tyres, though, are demonstration ones as per the regulations.Audi will launch the car in an event in Berlin on January 20 and will then take part in a closed test in Barcelona between January 26 and 30. That will be followed by two three-day tests in Bahrain. The first between February 11 and 13. The second is between February 18 and 20.As a quick reminder, the 2026 F1 cars will be narrower (by 100 mm), with a shorter wheelbase (by 20 mm) and with narrower tyres while their minimum weight is reduced by 30 kg.
The power units will be made up of a V6 turbo-hybrid internal combustion engine with no MGU-H and an electric component. Both components deliver power equally.