First spy footage of Audi's 2026 F1 car emerges at Barcelona shakedown

The first glimpse of a 2026 Formula 1 car has arrived, with spy footage capturing Audi's future R26 chassis during a shakedown run in Barcelona. While the video is grainy, it provides a crucial early look at the design philosophy the German manufacturer is adopting for its highly anticipated F1 entry under the new regulations.

Why it matters:

This early look at Audi's 2026 machine offers the first tangible clues about how teams are interpreting the radical new technical regulations. With Audi entering as a full works team, its design choices—particularly in aerodynamics and suspension—could signal a new competitive direction and influence how other teams approach their own 2026 challengers.

The details:

• Push-rod suspension: The most notable revelation is the car's push-rod front suspension. This marks a reversal from the pull-rod design its predecessor, Sauber, used in 2024. The shift is likely due to new regulations making car floors less sensitive to ride height changes, allowing for softer spring rates where push-rod layouts can be advantageous.
• Aerodynamic concept: The car appears to feature an inwashing sidepod solution, diverging from the downwash concept popularized by Red Bull. This design aims to pull airflow around the sidepods to maximize the effectiveness of the narrow "Coke bottle" bodywork at the rear, potentially feeding cleaner air to the diffuser and rear wing.
• Front wing and nose: The footage shows a slightly raised nose and an in-washing front wing, with new endplate designs featuring a footplate and flick-up to manage airflow around the front tires, as mandated by the 2026 rules.
• Overall geometry: The car's 100mm narrower profile is clearly visible. The rear wing also uses a new double-mount system attached to the underside, replacing the single swan-neck mount seen in recent seasons.

Looking ahead:

While this is an early test mule and not the final race car, the footage confirms Audi is pursuing a distinct aerodynamic and mechanical philosophy. The true test will be how these concepts translate to performance when the R26 makes its official debut and hits the track for pre-season testing next year, marking the beginning of a new era for the team and the sport.