Audi circulated fabricated renders of its 2026 F1 car ahead of Barcelona testing, a preview of what's shaping up to be a messy factory entry. When a manufacturer can't even get the basic PR right during launch window, you know the engineering timeline is already slipping. The PU regs are unforgiving—Audi's got three years to build credibility.

Audi and Volvo are issuing separate recalls affecting over 750,000 vehicles—different root causes, same result: rearview camera blackouts. Both manufacturers are scrambling with dealer fixes, though the scope suggests this wasn't caught in development. If your A4, Q5, or XC90 is suddenly flying blind in reverse, you're in the queue.

Audi gets early track time with the R26 on January 9, running Hulkenberg and Bortoleto through a filming day at Barcelona. It's not glamorous, but being first to shake down your new chassis in anger—even in a controlled setting—is the kind of advantage that compounds over a season. The bean counters love the optics; the engineers love the data.