Formula 1's official launch season gets under way on Thursday night as Red Bull holds an event in Detroit - although we will not see the team's 2026 car because it is only a livery reveal.
In fact, amid the strangeness triggered by the closed-door first test at Barcelona, we may not get to pore over any close-up images of real cars for a little while yet.
But even though that means waiting for a first deep-dive into how different the 2026 cars will be, shots we got last week of the Audi car from its Barcelona shakedown have already given us good clues about what is to come.
Here are a few things we have learned about some key design trends for the season ahead.
Shark fins have returned
F1's move to overhaul the aerodynamics of the cars has opened the door for teams to bring back the shark fin.
The controversial raised fins at the top of the engine cover were banned in 2018 after they had grown in size and triggered kickback from fans plus concerns from F1 they spoiled the commercial appeal of the rear wing.
But with a shark fin offering clear benefits in terms of helping straightening up airflow, a more limited design is allowed with the new rules.
The Audi car offered us a first glimpse of the new refined shark fin concept.
Rake is back
F1's 2026 challengers will have much less ground effect than the previous generation of cars, which means they will not need to run as low down as before.
The shift in concept means higher ride heights and a return to the higher-rake cars that were common before 2022.
Audi's shakedown car, even though it is a basic model, pointed us towards how the cars are running a bit higher as well as displaying a bit of rake.
Higher noses an option
Although the Audi shakedown car is understood to have only featured very basic aerodynamic components, some of it does offer a hint about what its final version may look like.
A closer look at the front of the car, for example, points towards raised noses being back, which brings benefits in terms of allowing more airflow underneath the car.
F1's 2026 rules have opened opportunities for teams to pursue raised noses if they bring their cockpits further forward - something Audi looks like it has done and other teams may pursue, too.
Wheel covers gone
As part of F1's efforts with the 2022-25 regulations to reduce car wake, one design element intended to help was mandatory wheel covers.
These discs acted as barriers in both stopping external airflow from entering the wheel rim and also preventing teams from manipulating airflow outwards that would have the consequence of more dirty air for the car behind.
While they did bring aero benefits, a decision was taken to get rid of them for the 2026 rules in an effort to help bring car weight down.
Furthermore, F1 has moved away from standard wheel rims and is instead allowing teams to choose their own suppliers once again.
A shot provided by Audi from its shakedown showed how the new 2026 wheels will look different.
Double pushrod clues
The most successful cars from the previous ruleset had gravitated towards pullrod front suspension.
This design was favoured because it offered better weight distribution (as the internal components are low down in the car) and allowed for a better handling of ride control, which was critical with the old ground effect cars.
There were also aerodynamic considerations to be taken into account, too.
But with a completely new platform for 2026, there has been talk that the best route may well be going to pushrod at the front - with it already the preferred solution at the rear.
This could work better with the new airflow regime coming off the front wing, plus how that then interacts with the sidepods and floor.
Furthermore, pushrod systems can be lighter and more simple to integrate, and it is well-known that saving weight is a key focus for teams in 2026.
The shots we saw of the Audi suggest pushrod suspension at both the front and the rear . It's a trend that is likely to be followed by others.
Rear end revisions
It's well-known that the diffusers of the 2026 cars will be simpler and certainly offer much lesser performance gains than the old ruleset.
A pitstop shot Audi published gave us the first glimpse of the narrower channels and new floor fences that teams will be seeking to exploit.
Furthermore, it showed the double mounts for the rear wing that are now mandatory for 2026.
What was not particularly clear from the images though is how the sidepod interacts with the rear of the car.
The concept Audi ran at Barcelona showed an overbite at the front - with a lower intake and higher middle section. This suggests a small downwash - and certainly not as aggressive as more recent designs in F1.
However, there could be a big undercut in play - which suggests the aim may be to get some inwash going to help direct that airflow nicely around the rear suspension and rear wing.
