First look at Audi’s striking new F1 2026 sidepod design

Audi turned heads on the opening day of the first official F1 pre-season test by rocking up to Bahrain with radically different sidepods.

The former Sauber squad turned up to the Bahrain International Circuit with completely revised sidepods to what they had previously run at the Barcelona shakedown.

Some changes were expected between tests given F1’s relentless development rate, particularly at the start of a new regulation cycle, but Audi's update certainly grabbed attention when the R26 rolled out of the garage and hit the track on Wednesday morning.

Audi have replaced the more conventional sidepod inlets seen on the launch-spec and in Barcelona with a narrower and more vertical concept.

The new design has drawn similarities with Mercedes’ infamous and ultimately failed ‘zeropods’ concept that the German manufacturer debuted at the start of the ground-effect era in 2022.

As well as revising their sidepods, Audi have brought a new front wing design to the Bahrain pre-season tests.

Gabriel Bortoleto is driving the R26 on Wednesday morning, before handing over to experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg, who will drive in the afternoon session.

F1 2026 designs are likely to change further before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 8 March, though some teams including McLaren have insisted they will retain their testing spec for the first round.

The first three-day pre-season test runs from 11-13 February, before the Bahrain International Circuit hosts a second test between 18-20 February.