Audi is set to put its very first Formula 1 car on track as early as 9 January at Barcelona.
The all-new Audi R26 will complete a filming day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto both scheduled to drive as part of the initial shakedown programme.
This early outing is expected to make Audi the first team to turn a wheel in Formula 1’s new regulatory era. The 2026 season marks a major technical reset for the championship, introducing active aerodynamics on the chassis side alongside a significantly increased reliance on electric power within the power unit regulations.
For Audi, the moment carries particular weight. The German manufacturer is entering Formula 1 this year as a works power unit supplier, exclusively for its factory outfit – the team formerly known as Sauber, which Audi fully acquired in 2024.
Under Formula 1’s sporting regulations, filming days – officially classified as Promotional Events – allow teams to run their cars for up to 200 kilometres. At Barcelona, that distance corresponds to a maximum of 42 laps. As mandated, the R26 will run on Pirelli demonstration tyres, which differ from the compounds used during official tests and race weekends.
Each team is permitted to carry out two filming days in 2026, and Audi’s competitors are also expected to use these opportunities to conduct early shakedowns of their new cars ahead of the season.
Audi’s official season launch is scheduled for 20 January in Berlin. That event will precede the first pre-season test of the year, which runs from 26–30 January and will also be held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
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