There’s still roughly one week until the official launch of the Audi R26 Formula 1 race car, which will happen on January 20, but we’ve already received our first look at the car on a racetrack as it commences tested in Barcelona. We also scored our first listen to the Audi-developed 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid V-6 power unit.
The 2026 Formula One season may be the most anticipated in recent memory. The sport’s regulations have been overhauled for the new year, and new teams will be taken to the grid for the first time. One of those is the Audi Revolut F1 Team, which has taken over Sauber—and this past weekend, that team’s car became the first 2026 Formula 1 racer spotted testing in public, with some fans who happened to be around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya managing to capture some video of the car turning laps and giving us our first opportunity to hear what one of the new 2026 F1 cars sounds like.
The team also shared some photos of the car and the team at Barcelona on the Audi F1 Instagram page. The car was wearing an all-black livery, and the team was careful not to share any detailed photos ahead of the official reveal. However, it’s still exciting to see the first on-track photos of the R26.
Expect to see more of this new racer soon, as we’re entering Formula 1 car reveal season; starting this week, every manufacturer will reveal their 2026 challenger, until Aston Martin and McLaren wrap things up by revealing their cars on February 9. Suffice it to say, it’s an exciting time for Formula 1 fans around the world.
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