The Brazilian is the first driver to reveal the helmet design he will race with next season, getting the jump on all of his rivals — much like Audi did by being the first team to hit the track in Barcelona on January 9.

Brazil’s colours could hardly be missing from the helmet, with the green-and-gold flag wrapping around the shell and serving as the design’s defining motif.

“Locked in, ready to race” captioned the short video posted by the Brazilian on social media, with the RS26 now just days away from its official launch, set to take place on January 20 in Berlin.

For Bortoleto, 2026 represents a crucial year of confirmation after a highly encouraging rookie campaign, highlighted by several points finishes and by holding his own against a far more experienced team-mate in Nico Hülkenberg.

In keeping with filming day regulations, Audi limited running by dividing the mileage equally between its two drivers, with neither exceeding 100 kilometres as the focus remained on early system checks — ranging from power unit performance to the integration of key components.

Bortoleto later reflected on his first outing in the R26 via social media, writing: “So happy to finally get this journey underway! First day on track with Audi.”