Binotto: “Huge gap on power units, but we expected it”

Binotto and Audi’s difficult start The first step to growing is understanding your weaknesses. At Audi they know them well, and they had also foreseen them in their approach to Formula 1, which ended with the definitive acquisition of Sauber and the debut of the four wheels on the track over the Melbourne weekend. The R26 lacks top speed – but it is an aspect that with the ADUO and Mattia Binotto’s experience could be put right more quickly than expected – and reliability: too many zeros collected by Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, sometimes even disqualified for irregularities or not starting due to technical problems. The debut of the brand with the four rings fueled the expectations of the experts, but in Neuburg they knew well that it would be an uphill start. At least team principal Binotto knew this, as he preaches calm despite the two points in four race weekends. Binotto’s words “I think the most obvious aspect is the gap we have at the power unit level. For us it is not a surprise, it was predictable being a novice engine manufacturer. It is a huge gap, but we already have plans for the future and we are focusing on this”, commented Binotto. “There are completely new regulations and I must say that overall we are satisfied with what we have achieved so far. In F1 it is very easy to make mistakes and you can see that other teams around us have more difficulties”, he added, evidently referring to Aston Martin. “We are a brand new team and we are brand new engineers, so we are happy. Of course, there is a lot to do also because our main competitors have very strong and consolidated organizations in terms of size and infrastructure, but our ambition is very high in the long term.” The former Ferrari driver has repeatedly indicated 2030 as the year in which to start being competitive, but that season itself seems to represent a turning point in F1 with the possible return of the V8, defined by Mohammed Ben Sulayem as a certainty for 2031, but the intention of the FIA ​​president is to bring forward the end of the current generation of engines by one season.

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News , 2026-05-20 19:35:00