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friday recap
06 March 2026

2026 Australian Grand Prix - Friday

We completed its first ever day of practice with a busy Friday at the Australian Grand Prix.

This was FP1.

Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto put their R26s through a full programme in two undisrupted sessions at Albert Park: their work provided the team with a good amount of data, which the engineers in Hinwil, Neuburg and Bicester will analyse ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.

Audi Driver Development Programme inductee, Freddie Slater, also made his first appearance on track in the FIA F3 Championship, qualifying in P3 for Sunday’s season opener in Melbourne.

Nico Hulkenberg

R:1 Melbourne

FP2

1:21.351

+1.622

P12

FP1

1:21.969

+1.702

P10

Gabriel Bortoleto

R:1 Melbourne

FP2

1:21.668

+1.939

P14

FP1

1:21.696

+1.429

P09

1 / 0

Gallery
The first Pracice Sessions done
Gabi is taking his helmet on and gets ready for FP1
Nico is smiling in the pit before FP1
Gabi walks into the ppit
Nico is taking his helmet on and gets ready for FP1
A Team member is checking the progress in the pit
A Mechanic is in front of the car and the pit crew is setting up the car
R26 from behind in the pit
The R26 is leaving the pit for the first FP1
A Mechanic is working in the pit
Mattia Binotto is smiling through Gabi after FP1
Nico smiling in the pit
A mechanic standing in front of the pit looking at the pitane
A mechanic is working in front of the pit
Gabi nearly in the car
Top view in front of the pit where the crew practicing a pit stop

"First Friday of the season done. Good running, important laps and a solid starting point with the new car."

Nico Hulkenberg

Nico talking to a team member after FP1 in the pit

Quote

"Overall, it was a decent first Friday of the season. It was mostly clean running, and we managed to get through a good number of laps, which is always important early in the weekend.

There were a couple of small issues here and there that we need to tidy up, but that’s part of the process.

It’s our first time here with the new car, so there’s a lot of information to go through tonight. We’ll analyse everything and see what we can improve for tomorrow, but it’s a solid starting point.”

"A good baseline in FP1, some lessons in FP2 - and that’s part of the journey with a new set of regs. We keep building, keep learning, keep pushing."

Gabriel Bortoleto

Gabi walks into the ppit

Quote

"It was a positive first day, although there is still a lot of work ahead of us. FP1 was very solid and smooth, which gave us a good baseline from which to start. In FP2, I struggled a little more with a couple of things that we need to address for tomorrow, but that is part of the process with such a new set of regulations.

At this stage, we are focused on improving the basics, building the foundations before moving to the finer details. There are still many areas to refine with the car and the power unit, and that understanding will only come with time and data.

It is still very early in the season, so the priority is to keep learning and improving ourselves.”

Friday in Melbourne

The first first practise.

A team member smiling during the qualifying session
A team member smiling during the qualifying session
Pit Crew happy smiling and clapping during the qualifying sessions
A woman from the team listening during preparation talk with the whole team
A team member with headphones checking something in the garage
Team members in front of the pit
Audi Revolut F1® Team mechanics work on the car inside the garage under bright overhead lights before qualifying.
Black and white image of an Audi Revolut F1® Team crew member walking through the garage entrance in full helmet.
An Audi Revolut F1® Team crew member adjusts a helmet inside the garage before going out to work.
An Audi Revolut F1® Team car exits the pit lane at speed during qualifying in Melbourne.
Audi Revolut F1® Team engineers sit on the pit wall monitoring data and track action during the Melbourne session.
Audi Revolut F1® Team pit crew prepare equipment and tires in the Melbourne pit lane during qualifying.
Overhead view of an Audi Revolut F1® Team crew member working on the front of the car in the pit lane.
An Audi Revolut F1® Team crew member wearing a helmet walks through the pit lane before a session.
Close up of an Audi Revolut F1® Team car in the pit lane with the cockpit and halo in focus during qualifying.
An Audi Revolut F1® Team driver Gabriel Bortoleto stands in front of the garage and car setup beneath a Gabriel Bortoleto name board.
Rear view of an Audi Revolut F1® Team Gabriel Bortoleto driver helmet in the cockpit with warm light flares across the frame.
Artistic black and white close up of an Audi Revolut F1® Team driver Gabriel Bortoleto helmet resting in the garage.
Close view of an Audi Revolut F1® Team driver Gabriel Bortoleto wearing a helmet inside the garage before heading out on track.
An Audi Revolut F1® Team driver Nico Hulkeberg waits at the garage entrance in race suit and earpiece before a qualifying session.

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