Overview
- Audi presented the final silver‑black‑red scheme of the R26 at a Berlin showcase, confirming the Audi Revolut F1 Team with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.
- On‑screen assets briefly revealed renderings of the actual car, indicating a pushrod front suspension, a broader nose and larger sidepod inlets than some rivals, according to event coverage.
- Audi says chassis and power unit are being co‑developed, with the car built in Hinwil and the new hybrid unit produced in Neuburg, and the R26 has already completed a systems shakedown in Barcelona on January 9.
- The FIA has set a January 22 meeting of technical experts to review interpretations of the 2026 power‑unit rules following paddock reports about compression‑related techniques, with any performance gains unverified.
- Teams will run baseline, energy‑management‑focused cars at the five‑day Barcelona shakedown starting January 26 before debuting more complete aerodynamic packages in Bahrain, Haas says.