P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Nico Hulkenberg’s exit from Haas to Stake for the 2025 season was made with the transition to Audi very much in mind. Fast forward to 2026, and Audi has arrived.
Nico Hulkenberg has been reluctant to share his thoughts on Audi’s first Formula 1 car’s performance, but he did mention that being part of the project was always appealing to him. Audi, along with Cadillac, is a newcomer on the F1 grid this season after taking over the Stake F1 operation. The German team unveiled its livery for the 2026 season in Berlin and has already completed a filming day with its new car, the R26. Hulkenberg, who joined Stake in 2025 with the knowledge of being involved in the Audi project, expressed his excitement about the opportunity. During the filming day in Barcelona on January 9, Hulkenberg refrained from sharing much about the car’s performance, citing the limitations of such events where the cars do not run with actual F1 tires or at full pace.
