Binotto: The most important thing is that the R26 has no obvious shortcomings.

      Mattia Binotto, head of Audi's Formula 1 program, spoke about how the factory team is doing at the start of the season. Although it noticeably lags behind the championship leaders, Binotto is confident that Audi will gradually make up the deficit.

      A year ago, the experienced Italian engineer, who once led the Ferrari team, accepted Audi's offer, fully understanding that the path ahead for the team, built on the foundations of Sauber, would be long and difficult. The goal is formulated as follows: by 2030, Audi F1 should be in contention for the title.

      Although the start of the season cannot be called smooth, as only one Audi car finished in the first two races, the team managed to make an impression, as Gabriel Bortoleto scored points already in Australia. Nico Hülkenberg finished 11th in China and Japan, indicating that the team's drivers are quite capable of fighting for places in the top ten.

      "The most important thing is that our car does not have any significant flaws," Binotto emphasized in an interview with the official championship website. "If any fundamental problems arise, it sets you back, and then you have to catch up. Since I believe we do not have such problems, we can focus all our attention on the projects that will allow us to move forward.

      We understand well that we need to improve the most through the modernization of the power unit – it is no surprise that we are currently lagging behind because of it. But we anticipated this. We know that creating a completely new power unit is a very complex task, so this fact does not upset us. The gap is significant, but we already have plans for engine refinement. All of this is also part of the journey we have ahead of us.

      We are not aiming to achieve our main goals by 2030 by chance, as we know this path will be long. But it is not just about the power deficit – it is also about energy efficiency and the characteristics of the engine itself. When we talk about handling, we also mean the gear-shifting process, which is currently very harsh.

      The car lacks stability both under braking and during acceleration due to the abrupt gear changes. Perhaps the gear ratios are incorrectly selected. Therefore, our lag is related both to speed and to handling. Because of all this, we are likely losing up to a second per lap. Although I believe that the chassis itself is quite good. And we will make up for the deficit related to the power unit."

      The April break in the championship between the Japanese Grand Prix and Miami should help Audi address many challenges, although the departure of Jonathan Wheatley from the team has also influenced the situation, but Binotto preferred not to dwell on that.

      "I think we got a good opportunity in April, as after the winter tests we focused all our attention on solving various problems while trying to prepare for the races," he continued. "This process takes a lot of time. When you are preparing for a race, you cannot carry out technical upgrades at the pace you would like, so I believe that the April break is very important for us.

      We will be able to switch to the next tasks and not only address problems but also properly refine the technology. I have heard that many teams are preparing upgrade packages for the Miami event. I believe we will also engage in aerodynamic research, as the pace of modernization under the new regulations remains very high. Therefore, of course, we will also present our innovations, and their package will be more significant than before.

      Everything is relative, and I do not know how it will compare to what other teams prepare. But I am satisfied with how things are going, and I am confident that thanks to the new developments, we will at least be able to maintain the positions we currently occupy."