Alan McNish: I can see many things through the eyes of a racer.

      When Jonathan Wheatley decided to leave Audi F1, the sports division of the German company didn't have to search long for a replacement, and Alan McNish was appointed as the team's racing director.

      He has longstanding ties with Audi, having achieved numerous victories in endurance racing on both sides of the Atlantic while driving Audi sport prototypes, winning titles in WEC and the ALMS series. Since 2017, McNish has led the factory team in Formula E, and at the beginning of 2026, he headed Audi's driver development program, and now he has received a new appointment.

      His first race in this capacity was the Miami Grand Prix, where he gave an interview to the official championship website. He also has experience in Formula 1, as over the years Alan has collaborated as a test driver with McLaren, Benetton/Renault, and Toyota, and in 2002 he raced for the factory team of the Japanese corporation.

      "It's not about what my title is – what's important is that I can participate in the common cause and help develop this program," said the 56-year-old Scot. "Ultimately, we are here to succeed, to strive for victories.

      I've been with Audi for 25 years, performing various tasks, so they know me from the time when I was still a driver, then I led the factory Formula E team, but I also participated in the Formula 1 project during its preparation stage.

      We have a strong team when it comes to the qualification level of the racing crew, but I also believe that Mattia Binotto is doing an excellent job managing all the processes at the bases in Hinwil and Neuburg (where Audi Sport's engine division is located).

      Undoubtedly, my racing experience helps me, as I can look at many things through the eyes of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. To be honest, I do that, but I also understand the tasks that lie ahead for the entire team, not just the drivers. This is not always the same.

      The most challenging task is related to the power unit, that's for sure. Audi is in Formula 1 for the first time, we have a lot to learn, and I don't think the results we are currently showing are our maximum. For now, we are somewhat lagging behind, which means we need to keep working.

      But when it comes to the chassis, I think the team has handled that task quite well. Few expected us to be so fast right away... But we need to remain realistic. After all, we are newcomers, and we have a lot to figure out – this applies to what happens both on and off the track. Of course, we want to achieve improvements in terms of results and stability.

      We hope to regularly contend for a spot in the qualifying finals, regularly fight for points, but we also understand that such opportunities will not always be there. Therefore, we need to accept that our first year is a kind of separate project, so right now it’s not necessary to fully concentrate on the next race, but we need to understand the direction we are moving in."