This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
Audi just seemed like a team which was doing "nothing" from the outside but looking at the whole situation again, I guess it doesn't really make sense to get surprised at them doing good. This is pretty much Sauber with more funding/resources and a technically (on paper) better team. Don't know enough about PUs yet to have a proper ranking, but even if they're behind Merc, Ferrari and RBPT, it didn't seem in testing at least that they're miles behind. Certainly nowhere near a Honda situation, which I guess deserves some praise.
The PU seemed close enough that by 2027 at the latest (if they've done too well to qualify for ADUO) they'll be equivalent to the front runners. The ADUO rules, lack of tokens and open ICE design for 27 make me think all engines including Honda will be equivalent by next season and we'll be looking at an aero formula again. That's where Sauber/Audi's aero development capability will really be tested.
I am hoping Audi can be near the front of the mid pack next weekend, and are bringing a few upgrades to Australia. I think they are positioned to be in front of Cadillac, Aston and Williams, and might be close to the Racing Bulls. Alpine and Haas looked stronger in testing, so let's see how that translates on the Melbourne track. Australia is very different to Barcelona and Bahrain for energy harvesting and deployment. It would be great to see Hulkenberg somehow get a podium again this year, and I think a wet race, a chaotic reliability debacle, or perhaps Monza might be that opportunity.
Good start today, more or less in the hunt for "best of the rest". So unless the launch at the start really turns out to be a major problem, they should be able to battle for points.
Great results in qualifying. I hope the problem with Bortoleto wasn't serious.
Anyway, a good start to the season for Audi, and the engine is proving to deliver good performance at the beginning. Looking forward to seeing what Audi can deliver throughout this season.
Great results in qualifying. I hope the problem with Bortoleto wasn't serious.
Anyway, a good start to the season for Audi, and the engine is proving to deliver good performance at the beginning. Looking forward to seeing what Audi can deliver throughout this season.
It seems like the engine is behind Mercedes and RBPT, but on par with Ferrari. I don't think VCARB has a better chassis than Audi. The difference was all PU and deployment when I look at the telemetry.
Great results in qualifying. I hope the problem with Bortoleto wasn't serious.
Anyway, a good start to the season for Audi, and the engine is proving to deliver good performance at the beginning. Looking forward to seeing what Audi can deliver throughout this season.
It seems like the engine is behind Mercedes and RBPT, but on par with Ferrari. I don't think VCARB has a better chassis than Audi. The difference was all PU and deployment when I look at the telemetry.
Great results in qualifying. I hope the problem with Bortoleto wasn't serious.
Anyway, a good start to the season for Audi, and the engine is proving to deliver good performance at the beginning. Looking forward to seeing what Audi can deliver throughout this season.
It seems like the engine is behind Mercedes and RBPT, but on par with Ferrari. I don't think VCARB has a better chassis than Audi. The difference was all PU and deployment when I look at the telemetry.
Is it likely to be be ADUO worthy?
I think everybody is getting ADUO at the 2% level minimum vs Mercedes combustion engine
Last edited by AR3-GP on 08 Mar 2026, 11:49, edited 1 time in total.
For me the most impressive team at the first race. Considering they are already where Sauber was at the end of last year (Q3/points are achievable goals) that’s pretty encouraging. I would think that P5 in WCC is a definite possibility, especially if they keep coming up with novel chassis/aero developments.
"You can't argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience"
- Mark Twain
