Hmm, I’ve seen this before…

I do hope they pull it off, love seeing different looking cars and approaches.

English translation

Audi showed up at the Bahrain test with a completely redesigned car. The side pods in particular are unrecognisable. We present the first images of the B version.

The Audi factory team is brand new to Formula 1. But when it comes to development work, the new German-Swiss alliance is already way ahead. The engineers have built two completely different cars in a very short time. One for the shakedown week in Barcelona. And one for further testing in Bahrain.

Observers were amazed when the revamped R26 rolled out of the garage at the start of test driving on the Sakhir Grand Prix circuit on Wednesday (11 February). Under the watchful eyes of project manager Mattia Binotto and technical director James Key, a fundamentally redesigned car took to the track.

‘I think it's fair to call this a B version,’ Binotto grinned mischievously. ‘Don't ask what's new! Everything is new.’ The first thing that catches the eye, of course, are the side pods. The bulbous cooling intakes from the Barcelona week have disappeared. They have been replaced by ultra-slim vertical scoops.

The result is somewhat reminiscent of Mercedes' so-called ‘Zeropod Concept’. At the start of the last regulation era, the Silver Arrow team wanted to shock the competition with ultra-slim bodywork.

Zeropod flops at Mercedes

But the solution backfired. It didn't work with the complicated underbodies. Now the underbodies are much simpler in design. And Audi is making a second attempt with a modified concept. The small bump protruding from the panelling at cockpit level is the best indication of just how slim the R26 really is. This is where the side crash structure is located. Its position is mandatory for all cars.

However, Nico Hülkenberg's new company car is not quite as extreme as the old Mercedes. From above, you can see a small channel that directs air over the side pods to the diffuser. Another new feature is the cooling fins carved vertically into the bonnet. They prevent heat from building up under the tightly fitting carbon skin.

A version still in the 2025 budget

Many changes can also be seen on the nose and front wing. The dark contrasting adjustment mechanism used to retract the upper flaps on the straights is particularly striking. It was not yet present on the base car used in Barcelona.

For those who now fear that Audi has already used up its entire development budget for the 2026 season by building two completely different cars, we can give the all-clear. Binotto confirmed that the parts for the A version from the shakedown in Barcelona were all built last year and accordingly included in the budget cap. This leaves room for further upgrades.

Conclusion

Audi showed up at the test drives in Bahrain with a completely redesigned car. The ultra-slim side pods with vertical cooling inlets are particularly eye-catching. You can find the latest detailed photos in the gallery.

Translated with DeepL.com