Audi F1: Allan McNish debuts as Racing Director for the Miami Grand Prix. Allan McNish begins his new role as Audi Racing Director at the Miami Grand Prix.

The new Racing Director of the German outfit has previewed the Miami weekend, which brings Formula 1 back on track after a five-week break.

McNish’s first appearance in his new role

Following the official announcement made just a few days ago, this weekend will truly mark the start of Allan McNish’s new chapter, the three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner and former head of the Audi Driver Development Programme, who will now serve as the team’s new Racing Director.

McNish effectively takes over the responsibilities previously held by Jonathan Wheatley and will act as a key deputy to Mattia Binotto, who remains formally the team principal of the organisation.

“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,” McNish said while previewing the Florida weekend.

“We have carefully analysed all the data from the opening races and focused on the areas that can make the difference. The goal is to put into practice what we have learned and consolidate what we have seen so far, especially in the Sprint format where everything is more compressed and margins for error are smaller.

“This weekend is, of course, also 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 really looking forward to starting this new chapter as we continue to develop our project.”

The drivers’ comments

Of course, both drivers also spoke ahead of the weekend, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg, as they prepare to return to action after the long break.

“It’s nice to be back,” commented 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 full race 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 both in Hinwil and Neuburg, working with the team and finding new ways to improve. It has been useful, but now I can’t wait to get back in the car.

“I really enjoyed Miami last year. It’s a very 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 in the best possible way over the weekend, make the most of the only free practice session, and be in a strong position right from the start.”