Overview
- Audi’s R26 completed initial laps at the Circuit de Barcelona‑Catalunya on January 9, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto sharing duties under tight secrecy.
- Running took place under FIA promotional‑day rules with a 200 km cap and Pirelli demo tyres, serving as a functional systems check following the December 19 fire‑up in Hinwil.
- Footage from the circuit indicates a push‑rod front suspension, an inwash sidepod concept and a dual‑pylon rear wing on a narrower 2026‑spec chassis.
- The 2026 power‑unit framework increases electric output to 350 kW, trims ICE power to about 400 kW and removes the MGU‑H, with five suppliers set to power the grid.
- Ferrari’s engine program has reportedly shifted toward a steel‑alloy cylinder head tested with AVL to tolerate higher pressures and temperatures, targeting efficiency and durability under the four‑engine season limit.