By Matt Bird / Thursday, 13 November 2025 / Loading comments
This is the Audi R26 Concept (take that, Renault), a preview of what its Formula 1 car will look like for the 2026 season. Old habits die hard, clearly; where most teams reveal their new racer in competition trim just ahead of the season, Audi is hinting at what’s to come the year before like this is an upcoming production car. The real thing is coming in January. 
And, believe it or not, Audi suggests the look of the R26 actually embraces its new brand identity, designed around the same themes that its future road cars will adhere to. All part of the reinvention, see – check out the Concept C for further proof. “We are implementing a unifying design language that draws together every aspect of our organization,” said Audi Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella. The design philosophy is now said to be underpinned by four ideas: clear, technical, intelligent and emotional. Audi says that can be seen in the R26’s ‘minimalist graphic surfaces, defined by precise geometric cuts’, which you were probably all going to say anyway. While the finished article will be decked out in sponsors’ liveries, the titanium, carbon black and Audi Red will continue as a colour combination. The four rings are red, because it’s sporty. 
Audi isn’t simply in F1 to look cool, either, however smart a 2026-spec racer looks in its birthday suit. It isn’t just to sell more cars, either, even though it’s suggested that 1.6 billion people watched F1 on TV last year. It wants to win, to win consistently and win in the near future. Gernot Döllner, Audi CEO, said: “We are not entering Formula 1 just to be there. We want to win. At the same time, we know that you don’t become a top team in Formula 1 overnight. It takes time, perseverance and tireless questioning of the status quo. By 2030, we want to fight for the World Championship title.” 
They’re nothing if not ambitious, then, and it doesn’t stop at mere race wins. Dollner believes that Audi’s presence in F1 will “be a catalyst for the change towards a leaner, faster and more innovative Audi.” Easy to dismiss, perhaps, as another motorsport press conference soundbite, but think of what the brand has achieved for its production cars from motorsport; four-wheel drive in rallying feels like the obvious one, though don’t forget the huge diesel and hybrid advances made in the years of Le Mans dominance. Audi back in the top tier of motorsport should make for a better Audi all round, and it arguably couldn’t come at a better time given some recent cars haven’t quite hit the spot. Don’t forget that Technical Centre in Bicester, too – like so many F1 teams, there’ll be a strong British contingent in the Audi effort. So 2026 looks like being another fascinating F1 season. 114 days to go…
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