The Audi R26 is one of the Audi entries the open record knows by name, and by little else. That is not nothing: a name in the catalogue is where a car's story starts to be recoverable. Ubl | Mattia Binotto | James Key | Stefano Sordo | Andrea Ferrarelli | Eric Gandelin | Stefano Sangiorgi | Iain Bomphray | Alessandro Cinelli | Tony Salter | Stefan Dreyer drew it.
The background
The Audi R26 is a Formula One car designed and built by Audi to compete in the 2026 Formula One World Championship. It is currently being driven by Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, both in their second season with the Hinwil-based team.
The R26 is the first Formula One car built by Audi after its takeover of Sauber and the first Hinwil-built car to utilize non-Ferrari engines since the BMW-powered BMW Sauber F1.09 in the 2009 season. It is also the first Hinwil-built Formula One car to utilise Castrol-branded lubricant since the Ford Cosworth-powered Sauber C14 in the 1995 season and also the first Formula One car to carry the BP and Castrol logos brands since the Renault-powered Alpine A524 in 2024.
The engineering
NNN hp is the published figure. It weighs 770 kg. The wheelbase is 3400 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Where it sits
Its family tree is legible: it took over from the Kick Sauber C45 (Sauber). Its Audi stablemates include the Audi 200 and the Audi 225.