Maknish: In terms of pace, we are on par with Racing Bulls.

      In Belgium and Hungary, at two stages preceding the summer break, Audi drivers fought almost on equal terms with competitors from Racing Bulls, and Alan McNish believes that his charges are already capable of overcoming the best team in the midfield. In Spa, Gabriel Bortoleto finished 8th, ahead of both Racing Bulls drivers, while at the Hungaroring, Nico Hülkenberg scored points, climbing to 9th place in the standings and leaving Arvid Lindblad behind. Such results allow Audi's racing director to assess the team's progress with optimism: "We are directly competing with Racing Bulls. I think we have already matched their pace. I believe they still have a slight advantage in qualifying, but in the races, we have the upper hand, although we are still behind them in the championship." Audi F1 drivers have scored points in the last three stages, but Racing Bulls managed to do so in seven consecutive Grands Prix. Therefore, the team from Faenza has 66 points and occupies 5th place in the Constructors' Cup, while Audi is in 8th place with only 12 points. In any case, thanks to the two points earned by Nico Hülkenberg for 9th place in Hungary, Audi has surpassed Williams in the Constructors' Cup. According to McNish, the progress is primarily related to a set of technical innovations prepared by the team for the Austrian Grand Prix: at that time, the R26 cars featured a new floor, a new front wing, and an upgraded rear part of the chassis. "This helped a lot, especially we managed to improve in slow corners, where we previously lost a bit. I would also note that we were able to enhance the car's handling characteristics, and the drivers felt it. To be honest, in terms of pure pace, we look somewhat better than expected. In several areas, Racing Bulls still outpace us, but in some aspects, we are already ahead of them. It is very encouraging that we have reached this level and are performing quite consistently. Certainly, in the second half of 2026, we will present some more innovations."