Audi arrived in Barcelona with a very traditional car, but the R26 making its debut in Bahrain testing is something completely different. The silver car driven by Gabriel Bortoleto immediately stands out thanks to its bold sidepod design, offering a fresh interpretation of the “zero pod” concept first introduced by Mercedes in 2022. Will it work?
The four-ringed brand wanted to impress from day one in Bahrain. After presenting a conventional car in Berlin and at the Barcelona shakedown, Audi made a statement in F1 with the R26. Bortoleto debuted a fully reimagined car, completely revolutionizing the sidepod design. James Key’s silver machine introduces a new aerodynamic philosophy for agile F1 cars, sparking interest and curiosity among paddock engineers.
The radiator intake is no longer horizontal and wide; it is now narrow, vertical, and tightly integrated with the chassis. The inlet for the Audi power unit is positioned near the start of the cockpit, but what really stands out is the empty space on the outer side. This is made possible by moving the anti-intrusion crash structure as far back as the regulations allow, visible as a subtle protrusion of the sidepod behind the rearview mirror.
A bold choice at Hinwil frees airflow to the rear of the car and redirects the turbulent wake from the front wheel outside the rear wheel, increasing the amount of clean air reaching the diffuser. On the top of the zero-pod sidepod, which goes far beyond Mercedes’ 2022 W13, a channel can be seen within the “Canyon” cut-out, designed to feed airflow to the rear of the car.
It’s easy to assume this innovative layout was made possible by using shaped radiators and placing part of the heat-radiating mass above the German six-cylinder engine. This allows the sidepods to follow a smooth, flowing line, creating a concept unlike anything seen in modern F1.
If we look back at vertical intake concepts, the closest comparison might be the Ferrari F92A from 1992, which experimented with completely different aerodynamic solutions, including a double floor that failed to meet expectations under Jean Claude Migeot.
With the R26, Audi is taking extremely bold steps, demonstrating the ambition to carve out a presence in the F1 paddock. Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 program, acknowledged that it will take time before the four rings aim for wins and championships, but it is clear they have already found a way to grab attention.
Additionally, images from the Bahrain tests reveal two active aerodynamic actuators on the front wing, exploring ideas similar to those previously tested by Red Bull aerodynamics on the VCARB03.
As the silver R26 continues to turn heads in the Sakhir desert, this radical design shift underscores Audi’s commitment to technical innovation. While the “zero-pod” philosophy has a checkered history in F1, Hinwil’s unique vertical execution suggests they may have found a way to make the concept thrive under the 2026 regulations, making Audi the team to watch as the season approaches.
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