PRE-SEASON
Feb 15-21
The F1 season picks up in earnest this week with the second of back-to-back test sessions in Bahrain – the second from 18-20 February took place this week. We published daily photo galleries as imagery was released from Day 4 and Day 5 of the test. Attached to this final test summary is also the Day 6 gallery (below).
BAHRAIN TEST DAY 3, 4 & 5 RECAP
The Audi Revolut F1 Team wrapped its 2026 pre-season program this week under the lights at the Bahrain International Circuit, closing out one of the most extensive winter test schedules in recent memory. By the time the final checkered flag fell in Sakhir, Audi had logged 851 laps across pre-season, totaling 2,775.649 kilometers with the new-generation R26.
The final day of running saw Nico Hulkenberg complete 64 laps in the morning session, focusing on long-run consistency and system validation. His best time of 1:36.019 placed him 15th on the timing sheets, though as always in testing, headline times tell only part of the story. In the afternoon, Gabriel Bortoleto shifted the emphasis toward race and qualifying simulations, adding 71 laps and setting a 1:33.755 benchmark that slotted him seventh overall for the day.
Across the second Bahrain test week alone, Audi accumulated 357 laps as the team continued to explore setup windows, software calibration and power unit integration under 2026 regulations. The broader program began with a January 9 shakedown—making Audi the first team to put a 2026-spec car on track—followed by additional mileage in Barcelona before two intensive weeks in Sakhir. The scale of the effort reflects Audi’s methodical approach as it prepares for its first official Formula 1 race entry.
Now the focus shifts back to Hinwil, Neuburg and Bicester, where engineers will comb through terabytes of data to further unlock the R26’s performance envelope. Correlation work between simulation and track findings will define the next phase, with reliability, energy deployment and drivability all critical under the sport’s new technical framework.
The next time the R26 turns a wheel in anger, it will be in Melbourne—marking the first Grand Prix start for Audi’s works Formula 1 operation. Bahrain may have been about mileage and method, but the countdown to race weekend is now very real.
DATA SUMMARY
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit / 5.412 km
Driver: Nico Hulkenberg (morning); Gabriel Bortoleto (afternoon)
Laps: 64 laps, 346.368 km (HUL); 71 laps, 384.252 km (BOR)
Fastest Lap: 1:36.019 – P15 (HUL);1:33.755– P7 (BOR)
TEAM QUOTES
Mattia Binotto
Head of Audi F1 Project
“It’s been a long, intense pre-season, a long winter, and the team has shown great dedication and commitment throughout since our first outing at the beginning of January. We started from a rather challenging position, with a list of areas to improve, and the response has been very strong across all departments: I want to thank everyone in Hinwil, Neuburg, and Bicester for their hard work. Step by step, we’ve addressed many of those points and made significant progress. We haven’t solved everything, yet, but the development and the attitude across the team have been very encouraging. Looking at where we are now, I feel positive as we approach the start of the season.”
Jonathan Wheatley
Team Principal of Audi Revolut F1 Team
“If I look back at 2026 so far, I see an extraordinary level of ambition across the team. Over the winter, we relocated several hundred people following refurbishment of our factory building, signed a roster of new partners, renewed every element of our trackside infrastructure — from pit equipment and panels to pit walls and hospitality — all delivered on schedule.
“We also became the first team to run a 2026-specification car, taking to the track in the second week of January after successfully completing all FIA crash tests – an exceptional achievement in itself. Since then, we have launched the team in Berlin, participated in every day of testing and gathered a vast amount of information, not only about the car but about ourselves as a team.
“The mileage we have achieved and the way the organisation has responded to every challenge over the past two months give me great encouragement. There is still a substantial job list heading into the season. We have made strong progress over the past two weeks, but we are under no illusion about the task ahead or the level of competition we will face in Melbourne.
“That said, we are motivated, focused and united. The team spirit across Hinwil, Neuburg and Bicester is of the highest order. We now pack up, regroup and turn our full attention to Melbourne.”
James Key
Technical Director of Audi Revolut F1 Team
“Firstly, it has been a long time since we have had three winter tests. It brings back memories of an era when testing was far more extensive, but it was certainly necessary given these new cars and the scale of the regulation changes. It is hard to believe that only six weeks ago we were tentatively rolling the car out of the garage in Barcelona for our filming day in early January.
“Since then, we have made significant progress. Over the past weeks we have introduced our race-spec aero package, completed race distance simulations, and carried out an extensive amount of set-up work across both chassis and power unit. It has been an extremely busy and intense period. The drivers are comfortable with the car and it is a good platform to work with. There are areas to improve in terms of reliability and performance, but nothing unexpected at this stage.
“Overall, we are broadly where we hoped to be at this point in the season and in our development as a team. As we continue to mature as Audi Revolut F1 Team, we can take more positives than negatives and head into the season with a degree of optimism — even if none of us truly knows where we stand competitively.
“I would also like to recognise the team’s effort. We were the first car on track and made substantial steps across the tests in how the car was configured and developed. Our colleagues in Neuburg have worked immensely hard to translate the first track data into continuous improvements over the course of the programme. A sincere thank you to everyone involved for the enormous effort required to reach this point.
“Thank you as well to Gabi and Nico for their positivity, feedback and the many laps they completed. Finally, particular recognition goes to the trackside team. Working with an unfamiliar car, they put in long hours to ensure we were ready to exit the garage at nine o’clock each morning, incorporating updates and managing issues throughout the day. Their work has been outstanding, and we leave testing with a strong foundation to build on.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Car #27
“A rather solid day to finish our work here in Sakhir and, with it, pre-season testing. Our programme in Barcelona and the two sessions here in Bahrain are complete, and the focus now shifts to Melbourne, something that felt so far away in January. Looking back to these weeks of testing, we can find encouragement in the significant number of laps we completed: it’s testament to the enormous amount of work that has gone in across the factories in Hinwil, Bicester and Neuburg, in particular. Bringing a new power unit to the track and beginning to understand it properly is a major undertaking, so a sincere thank you to everyone involved.
“We have made substantial progress over the course of the tests, learning day by day and taking important steps forward. The team has been very hands-on, responding quickly to challenges and implementing solutions effectively. Now we have a week to consolidate all our learnings, do our homework and prepare thoroughly for Melbourne. Then it is finally time to go racing.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, Car #5
“We wrap up two productive weeks here in Bahrain, and overall a very busy pre-season. I think the team has done a really good job: we’ve made solid progress with our car from where we started, and that’s really encouraging to see. There are still areas to work on and plenty to learn about it, but overall, it’s safe to say it’s been a positive test, and I want to thank everyone in the team, both trackside as well as in Hinwil, Neuburg and Bicester for their support and hard work. Now, the focus shifts to Melbourne: I’m looking forward to getting the season started.”
PHOTO GALLERY
