Audi has completed the first laps of its all-new Formula 1 project at Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya.
Audi completed its takeover of the Sauber project coming into 2026 and is racing this year as a fully-fledged manufacturer team, meaning it will build its own car and engines.
Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto both drove laps of the new car on Friday at the circuit as Audi utilised one of the two 100km filming days allocated to every team under the regulations.
The Barcelona circuit will host an unofficial week of testing, arranged by the 11 teams, at the end of January, before F1’s two official preseason tests in Bahrain in February.
La prima monoposto 2026 e’ Audi che sta girando al Montmelo’. #F1 #AudiF1 #ShakeDown pic.twitter.com/5sNcSE2Bx9
— RobertoF1 (@robertofunoat) January 9, 2026
Despite a long and storied history in motor racing, which includes 13 Le Mans 24 Hours triumphs and four World Rally Championships, 2026 is Audi’s first foray into Formula 1 in any capacity since the championship started in 1950.
The company inherited Sauber’s Swiss headquarters in Hinwil, which will continue to operate as its car-building hub, while its engine programme is located out of a facility in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany.
Audi’s F1 team is led by former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, while ex-Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto is CEO of the wider project.
Audi is one of two new engine projects on the grid this season — Red Bull is building its own engines this year in conjunction with Ford — and one of two new teams, with American outfit Cadillac also set to debut, albeit as a brand new entity built from the ground up.
