Audi is only at the very beginning of its journey in Formula 1, and the 2026 season represents just the first step toward a much more ambitious long-term objective: becoming a team capable of fighting for world titles starting from 2030, when the next major technical regulation cycle is expected to begin.
At Hinwil, however, the team has entered this season with a car that is anything but conservative. The solutions adopted for the sidepods, the cooling layout of the power unit, and the aerodynamic concept of the rear end clearly reflect an ambitious organization that is not satisfied with simply being competitive, but is instead willing to take bold and innovative risks.
From the perspective of the R26 chassis itself, the team’s senior management has repeatedly expressed satisfaction after identifying no major or critical weaknesses from a mechanical or aerodynamic standpoint. The overall platform appears solid and well-developed, especially considering that this is Audi’s first full campaign under the new regulations.
The most evident weak point, however, has emerged in the power unit. Developed entirely from scratch, both the internal combustion engine and the electrical components have shown several areas of concern. These issues have so far prevented Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto from scoring more than the two points collected across the opening three rounds of the season.
There have been clear problems not only with top speed on the straights, but also during race starts. However, there is more beneath the surface. At Hinwil, it is well understood that the engineering team will need to address the drivability of the power unit as a priority area of development. The future use of the ADUO system is expected to change the situation, but only in several months’ time, when teams allowed to use this performance recovery system will have gathered enough data to design and implement effective upgrades for their respective engines.
In the meantime, Audi could intervene in other areas. One of the most immediate possibilities is the gearbox ratio configuration. Mattia Binotto, head of Audi’s Formula 1 project and newly appointed team principal following the recent departure of Jonathan Wheatley, has explained where efforts will be focused in order to improve the current situation.
“It’s not just about power. It’s about energy efficiency, energy management, but also engine drivability. And when we talk about drivability, gear shifts are also involved, and at the moment they are very abrupt for us,” the Italian engineer explained in an interview with F1.com.
These harsh gear shifts mean that the R26 becomes unstable both under braking and during acceleration—two crucial phases of driving performance. This could ultimately lead to modifications in the gearbox ratios in order to smooth out the behavior of the car.
“The car is unstable under braking and acceleration precisely because of the abrupt gear changes. Maybe the ratios are not correct. There is a lot of work to do on drivability, just as much as on pure performance.”
“If you combine the two aspects—performance and drivability—you can gain up to one second per lap. I believe we have done a good job on the chassis side. Most of the gap comes from the power unit. We will get there.”
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