Audi spent the least amount of time on track at day 1 of this week’s Barcelona shakedown, with Gabriel Bortoleto completing just 27 laps before his R26 came to a halt. The Brazilian did not resume running after this stoppage, as his mechanics spent the afternoon assessing the problem.
Such issues are normal in testing, especially at the beginning of a new generation of cars and power units. With that said, Audi managed far fewer laps than any of their competitors, a less than ideal start to their 2026 journey.
Of course, as a new engine manufacturer, Audi are conscious of the challenge ahead. Still, every lap counts – as Bortoleto touched upon in his media declarations post-session.
Audi limited to just 27 laps in first day at Barcelona
Audi were one of seven teams to participate in the first day of the Barcelona shakedown. With teams permitted to run in three out of five test days this week, some opted against bring their car to track on Monday.
Ferrari and McLaren will make their debuts tomorrow, deciding to make a slightly later start in a late push to prepare new components. Still, they expect to complete their allocated three days.
The same cannot be said for Williams, who will be completely absent. The Grove-based operation are paying the price for failed crash tests and severe misjudgements in the FW48’s assembly.
A variety of rumours are swirling around about the difficulties Williams could carry into the first round. For now, it is not entirely clear how limited track time will limited the British team’s campaign.
After all, there are still two tests in Bahrain where they can try and make up for lost time. Still, there can be no denying Williams are not where they wanted to be.
Aston Martin will participate in this week’s Shakedown, but are also experiencing delays. Due to logistical and organisational dilemmas, the Silverstone outfit are set to be on track on Thursday and Friday.
Crucially, this means Aston expect to complete just two days of running – as opposed to three. Whilst not necessarily a nightmare scenario, this setback does complicate their preparations. It also puts added pressure on Adrian Newey’s team to maximise their two-day programme.
In this context, it is not necessarily a disaster for Audi to complete just 27 laps on the first day. Small hiccups and interruptions are a normal part of pre-season testing.
However, this does not mean that mechanical failures are without consequence – as Gabriel Bortoleto explains (cont. on next page).
