Audi wants the R26 to make a strong impression.

      Undoubtedly, motorsport has its own aesthetic, formed and developed over decades, and how a team’s car looks is very important, since it affects viewers’ perception and becomes one of the indirect factors that influence public opinion and, arguably, even the size of the fan base.

      Audi understands this well, which is why it pays special attention to the design of its new car created for Formula 1. The task is overseen personally by Massimo Frascella, whose title sounds somewhat unusual: “Chief Creative Officer.” It effectively means that he is the chief designer of the German company whose road cars are hard to confuse with any others. That approach is now being applied to its new Formula 1 project as well.

      “A clear vertical line separates the front of the car, painted in a silver-magnesium color, from the rear, which is finished in a red shade that is special and characteristic only of Audi,” Gazzetta dello Sport quotes Frascella. “The side surfaces in that area are black, given a carbon-fiber texture. We want our R26 to make the most striking impression of all the cars in the championship.

      We aim to be the boldest brand beyond the racetrack as well; we want to create a certain cultural effect, to cultivate a deeply emotional perception that evokes a sense of daring and refinement. Formula 1 is, above all, associated with speed — that is exactly why we are here.”