Audi R26
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First Audi setback at the shakedown in Barcelona.
On Monday, Formula 1 kicked off its brand-new technical era as seven of the eleven teams hit the Barcelona circuit. Among them: Audi.
Only on January 20, 2026, the factory team of the German car manufacturer unveiled its Audi R26. During the first day of the shakedown week in Barcelona, the team suffered its first setback right away. They caused a red flag in their very first session.
Car Stopped in the Middle of the Track
It was Nico Hülkenberg’s teammate Gabriel Bortoleto who was affected. He was completing the first laps in the new R26 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but his car came to a stop in the middle of the track.
The red flag came just about the two-and-a-half-hour mark as Bortoleto stopped at the apex at Turn 10. Audi revealed it was a “technical issue” that the team is “investigating”. The team confirmed this to PlanetF1.com.
According to reports from the track in Spain, there were also problems for Alpine driver Franco Colapinto. His issue caused the first red flag of the 2026 season when he stopped at the exit in Turn 1/Turn 2.
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) also failed to make it back to the pits as planned, causing the third red flag of the day. However, it also appeared to be a car issue in his case, and there was no accident during the morning.
The shakedown is a five-day testing event from January 26 to 30, 2026, which is held behind closed doors.
The event enables each team to verify that their 2026 cars are functioning as intended and to compare real-world performance with their simulation data.
Five Days of Testing in Barcelona
A shakedown is different from a test because it marks the first time a team runs its car. The aim is not to chase performance, but to rack up mileage and confirm that all components function correctly under the new 2026 regulations.
Based on the data collected, each team can then identify the areas they need to improve going forward.
That’s why the shakedown will not be aired live. As formula1.com reports, a highlight video is expected to be released each day. In addition, there will be interviews with drivers and team principals.
During the shakedown, teams are only allowed to run on three out of five days. Which days are used and which are not can be decided individually by the teams. As soon as one of their cars completes a lap, the allocated day counts.
This gives teams the flexibility to run when it best suits them. Some may choose to run on the first day, then spend the following day working on the car or waiting for new parts before running again on day three.
Every team is expected to attend, apart from Williams. The team has confirmed it will focus on maximising car performance and will not join until the first Bahrain pre-season test.
However, it is quite possible that most of the pit garages will remain closed on Tuesday. Showers are forecast for the entire day on the second test day. The sun is expected to appear only rarely, meaning the track will likely remain consistently wet.
At the moment, it is expected that at least Audi and Ferrari will be on track on Tuesday. While Audi will then be testing for the second day in a row, it will be the first proper run of the new SF-26 for the Scuderia with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.