A first look at a 2026 Formula 1 car on track has surfaced today, thanks to leaked footage from Audi's Barcelona shakedown. The "R26" drove a handful of laps around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and Audi—known as Kick Sauber last year—is the first team to have run its new car ahead of Barcelona's behind-closed-doors at the end of this month.
It's been widely reported that Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto stepped behind the wheel as part of this filming day. However, that obviously isn't the final livery; the official reveal is coming on January 20 in Berlin, Germany.
While the footage doesn't reveal much, Audi's entry into the 2026 F1 season looks and sounds pretty great in action. There are also some noteworthy changes from the Ground Effect era of Formula 1 cars.
The size, suspension, and rear wing are all vastly different. The hope is that the regulation changes will create more opportunities for wheel-to-heel racing this year. You can learn more about the planned overhaul here.
"We’re officially rolling," Audi wrote on Instagram. "A milestone moment in Barcelona as the R26 hit a racetrack for the very first time. First day. First laps. First chance for our drivers to experience the car. The road ahead starts right here."
The Audi Revolut F1 Team will join the other 10 teams set to line up on the grid this year at a private pre-season test in Barcelona between January 26 and 30, before two public tests take place in Bahrain from February 11 to 13 and February 18 to 20. For a full breakdown of what to expect from those test days, click here.
Check out this first glimpse at what's to come in the 2026 F1 season—along with some official photos from Audi—below.
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