The first Audi The official livery of the R26, the single-seater with which Audi will debut in Formula 1 this season, was presented in the evening in Berlin. After taking over Sauber, the German manufacturer is preparing for the big leap already announced last year, maintaining the same line-up: Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg, author of his first career podium in the last British GP. The emotion of ‘Nico’ The 38-year-old also spoke during the event held in the German capital, thus expressing his first emotions about the new car and the look: “There is only enthusiasm and happiness – he commented – I committed to this project in May 2024, so the wait is still long and I can’t wait for it to become reality. It’s all happening now and we’re starting. The cars are beautiful, so we’re ready to go. It’s special and it’s an honor to be part of a new team; we build it and shape it. We’re all ready to go and get our hands on it next week, work on it, get to know it and spend time with the engineers, Gaby (Bortoleto) and I are looking forward to it.” Hülkenberg also cited the importance of teamwork not only with the engineers, but also with the one who shares the Audi garage: Gabriel Bortoleto: “It’s a winning combination and it worked very well last year – he continued – I think that we also, from a team and car point of view, want the same things, which is important to lead the team in the right direction in terms of development. We are very aligned in a positive and healthy atmosphere. We get along very well and it will be fun.” The motivation The German driver will also open a new chapter in his long F1 career in Melbourne with his 251st GP, the first at the wheel of a rookie team like Audi: “The thing that motivates me the most is to be part of this mission of Audi to build its history in F1. For me it is an incredible and huge opportunity, and I want to use it to make it as successful as possible as soon as possible. This is the real emotion and the greatest motivation behind everything. Now we have all the ingredients right, and it’s our job to take on this challenge, take on the task and make it a reality. We can’t wait to see what happens on the track.”
