Curved surfaces, new channels, visible crash structure: Audi has fundamentally redesigned its first Formula 1 car, the R26, for testing in Bahrain
Formula 1 newcomer Audi began the first week of official winter testing for 2026 in Bahrain (see photo gallery!) with a strikingly modified aerodynamic design for its R26: the side pods of Audi’s first Formula 1 car have been completely redesigned.
At the Formula 1 shakedown in Barcelona in January, Audi still had a conventional sidepod design: the R26 had large horizontal air intakes and a classic sidepod shape with a protruding upper edge.
However, at the start of testing in Bahrain, the car featured a completely different design: the sidepods are significantly smaller at the front and the air intakes are now vertical. In addition, there is now a more pronounced waistline (“undercut”) in the sidepods and the side crash structure protrudes from the bodywork – similar to the Alpine A526 since Barcelona.
Another new feature is the surface of the sidepods: in the previous specification, it was smooth, but now it is curved, creating a kind of channel between the sidepods and the hood through which air is directed to the rear.
Audi has not yet commented on its modified vehicle design, and it is unclear whether this is the first step in the development of the R26 or even a deliberate attempt to mislead the competition. The latter would not be unusual in Formula 1: in the past, teams have used technical solutions that were never used in races. Incidentally, this is completely legal in the context of test drives.
Visually, there are also some innovations at other teams. However, these mainly concern the external appearance of the vehicles: Aston Martin is racing in Bahrain for the first time this year in “British Racing Green,” i.e., dark green; McLaren is back in its familiar orange (“papaya”) and black livery;
Cadillac is showing off its asymmetrical black and white color design for the first time.