Audi's 2026 F1 R26 caught testing—first look at the incoming power unit era
Audi's new works F1 program got its first track time at Barcelona with the R26, the car that'll carry the marque's new hybrid power unit into 2026. Spy footage is already circulating, offering the first real glimpse at how Audi's interpreting the incoming regulations. The shakedown matters less for what we saw than what it signals: the German manufacturer is locked in.
Audi jumping into F1 as a works team again is the kind of long-term commitment that separates serious players from the flavor-of-the-month sponsors. Whether they can actually build a competitive engine package is another question entirely.
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