Audi is on track in Barcelona with the R26, the German team’s single-seater for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The sound of the power unit can be heard in a new video released from the filming day.
After the first images emerged earlier in the morning, a new video from Audi’s filming day in Barcelona has now appeared, with the F1 R26 revealing itself through the impressive sound of its power unit. The German team chose Spain for an initial taste of the 2026 season. Moving ahead of its rivals, the Four Rings are immediately focusing on their new, and first-ever, in-house engine. Low temperatures have not discouraged the engineers, who are collecting crucial and valuable data.
There is still one week to go before the first official presentations ahead of the 2026 season. Red Bull and Racing Bulls will open proceedings by revealing their liveries to the world, while fans will have to wait a little longer to truly appreciate the real shapes of the new cars. It is already clear that the aerodynamic appearance of the cars that will soon be on display will not be the final one. The tests in Spain, which will officially open the season, will mainly be used to evaluate the new power units.
It will be necessary to wait until Bahrain, or in some cases even Melbourne, to fully enjoy the new-generation single-seaters. In the meantime, however, a first glimpse of the new technical cycle is arriving directly from Barcelona, where Audi has taken its R26 onto the track for an initial filming day. In a new video published by the YouTube channel “F1 A TODO GAS”, clearer images of the German car can be seen.
Audi R26 in Barcelona: why a filming day on 9 January?
Questions have been flooding social media from fans: is it really the R26? Is it not perhaps an old Sauber? Why make use of a filming day with such low temperatures, between 10°C and 15°C? The answers are straightforward: the car on track is indeed the R26, or at least it is when it comes to the power unit. The chassis is not the final version, but it fully complies with the new technical regulations.
A filming day in the middle of winter makes a lot of sense just a few weeks before testing begins. The engineers of the German team can obtain an initial response from their engine, even if the conditions are far from ideal. On the eve of a major technical revolution, every kilometre matters, and moving ahead of the competition, as the Neuburg-based project has done, could prove to be a winning strategy.
The Audi R26 video from the Barcelona filming day
As Audi continues to rack up vital mileage in Barcelona, the rest of the paddock will undoubtedly be watching closely. This early track appearance signals the serious intent of the German manufacturer as they prepare to enter the world’s most elite racing series. With the 2026 season promising the biggest shake-up in recent F1 history, these cold laps in Spain might just be the first steps toward a very bright future for the Four Rings.
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