Formula 1 News: Audi and Cadillac Face Daunting Debut in 2026 F1 Barcelona Shakedown

In the unforgiving arena of Formula 1, where innovation meets precision engineering, the 2026 season’s Barcelona shakedown test served as a harsh reality check for newcomers Audi and Cadillac. As the sport ushers in a new era of simplified aerodynamics and sustainable power units, these entrants—tasked with designing and building their own chassis while mastering state-of-the-art hybrid engines—grappled with a litany of issues.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Established teams like Mercedes and Ferrari racked up hundreds of laps with relative ease, but for Audi and Cadillac, the five-day test from January 26-30 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya highlighted the monumental challenge of competing at the pinnacle of motorsport. With no room for error in a field where milliseconds matter, their struggles underscore why F1 remains one of the most demanding engineering feats on the planet.

Related Article: Formula 1 News: Early 2026 favorites emerge after Barcelona Test

Audi, transitioning from the former Sauber outfit into a full works team with its own power unit, entered the test with high expectations but quickly encountered a barrage of setbacks. Head of the Audi F1 Project, Mattia Binotto, didn’t mince words about the scale of the problems: “I’ve never seen such a long list.”

The German manufacturer managed just 240 laps across the week—respectable for a debut but paling in comparison to Mercedes’ 502. Day 1 was particularly disrupted, with precautionary stoppages and minor technical gremlins halting progress early. Driver Gabriel Bortoleto noted the interruptions threw off their plans, while teammate Nico Hülkenberg faced a brief stop due to a “real basic” hydraulic leak between Turns 9 and 10.

Another red flag on Day 3 compounded the woes, as the R26 ground to a halt again. Yet, there were glimmers of hope: the team rebounded on Day 2 with over 140 laps, which Hülkenberg called “definitely our best day of the week” and a source of “great mileage across all systems.”

Bortoleto echoed the positivity, labeling the final runs “a positive day of running on top of an encouraging testing week,” despite losing hours to fixes. Binotto framed it as a learning curve: “It’s the beginning of our experience as a team, as a power unit manufacturer. There is a lot to learn and we are learning a lot,” acknowledging “a lot of problems stopping us, slowing down the run plan.”

With gremlins likely tied to the new power unit—lacking customer teams to share mileage—Audi’s path forward involves intensive analysis before Bahrain’s official tests on February 11-13 and 18-20.

Cadillac, the American upstart approved just 323 days before the test, faced an even steeper baptism by fire. Partnering with Ferrari for power units due to time constraints, the team logged a mere 164 laps—the second-lowest tally, ahead only of Aston Martin’s 65.

Sergio Perez, one of the squad’s drivers alongside Valtteri Bottas, delivered a candid assessment: “More than surprises, problems. Problems everywhere with the engine, with the car, with a few electronic issues.” He added, “But I’m glad it’s happening now, and of course, we still have a lot of work ahead of us, especially as a new team. So yes, these are exciting times.”

The all-black carbon fiber car, sans official livery, ran primarily on Day 1 before skipping sessions due to weather forecasts, then struggled with limited mileage on the final days under the TWG Motorsports banner.

Bottas handled the morning with 33 laps, including a longer run, but Perez managed only 11 in the afternoon amid ongoing niggles. Team principal Graeme Lowdon emphasized reliability focus: “The target for this week was very much shakedown — ticking off various tests and things that are more to do with reliability, and ensuring that we have a stable platform.”

Despite the setbacks, Perez viewed it as progress: “We are improving on pretty much every run,” with issues spanning the power unit, chassis, and electronics. Cadillac’s rapid timeline—from approval to track—makes their presence impressive, but the test exposed the raw challenges of F1 entry.

The contrast with veterans is stark: Mercedes and Ferrari amassed over 400 laps each, focusing on performance data, while Red Bull and McLaren navigated minor hiccups but emerged strong. For Audi and Cadillac, the shakedown was about survival and learning, not speed. As one insider noted, the complexity of the 2026 regs demanded this extra test to iron out basics. To illustrate the disparity, here’s a table summarizing key metrics and issues from the test:

As the paddock heads to Bahrain, both newcomers remain optimistic. Audi’s Binotto sees it as the “beginning of our experience,” while Cadillac’s Perez calls the era “exciting.” Yet, in F1’s cutthroat world, where teams must engineer every component from scratch, these early stumbles could define their season—or fuel a remarkable comeback.