After the official announcement made just a few days ago, this weekend will mark the true beginning of Allan McNish’s new chapter as Racing Director of the German team. A three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and former head of the Audi Driver Development Programme, McNish now steps into a key leadership role within the Formula 1 project.
He effectively replaces Jonathan Wheatley and will act as a deputy to Mattia Binotto, who remains the team principal of the organisation in an official capacity.
The first weekend for McNish
“After a few weeks of break, during which everyone has worked extremely hard, Miami represents an opportunity to understand where we stand compared to our rivals,” said McNish while previewing the Florida race weekend.
“We have analysed all the data from the opening races in detail and focused on the areas that can make the difference. The goal is to put what we have learned into practice and consolidate what we have seen so far, especially in the Sprint format where everything is more compressed and the margins for error are smaller.”
“This weekend is also, of course, a moment of great pride for me as I take on this new role within the team. I have been part of this journey in different ways over recent years, and I am looking forward to starting this new chapter as we continue developing our project.”
Drivers’ comments
Both drivers also spoke ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg ready to return to action after the extended break.
“It’s good to be back,” said the experienced German driver. “The break allowed us to analyse the first three races and understand where we are and what we need to improve, especially in terms of preparing a complete weekend. Now it’s about putting what we’ve learned into practice.”
“Miami is always a very exciting challenge, with a unique atmosphere and energy, and it’s another Sprint weekend, which means every session is crucial. The goal is to put everything together quickly and give ourselves a real chance to fight for points.”
“These weeks without racing have been useful for recharging after a very intense start to the season,” said Gabriel Bortoleto. “I had the opportunity to spend more time in both Hinwil and Neuburg, working with the team and finding new ways to improve. It has been valuable, but now I can’t wait to get back in the car.”
“I really enjoyed Miami last year. It’s a truly unique event with the circuit around the stadium, an impressive paddock and everything happening around it, so it’s a fantastic place to race. The goal is to put everything together during the weekend, make the most of the only free practice session, and be in a strong position from the very beginning.”
The Miami Grand Prix therefore serves as a crucial benchmark for the Audi project under the new leadership of Allan McNish. With a fresh organizational structure and two drivers hungry to translate factory improvements into championship points, the Florida Sprint weekend will be a definitive test of the team’s progress during the spring break. As the 2026 season intensifies, all eyes will be on the Hinwil-based outfit to see if their silent work behind the scenes can finally break them into the top ten on the streets of Miami.
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