Audi Drivers Highlight Power Unit as Team's Main Weakness After Pointless Run

Audi's 2026 F1 power unit has been identified by both drivers as the team's primary weakness, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg pointing to a clear lack of horsepower and drivability issues that undermine an otherwise competitive chassis.

Why it matters:

Audi's transition from customer team to full manufacturer was always going to be a steep learning curve. But the extent of the power unit deficit — combined with recurring reliability problems — threatens to stall their progress. Without rapid improvement, Audi risks falling behind in the midfield battle despite promising qualifying performances.

The details:

• Qualifying vs. Race: Audi has consistently reached Q3 (never qualifying below 11th), but has failed to score points in the last three races. The gap between one-lap pace and race performance is stark.
• Speed trap data from Miami tells the story: Audi recorded 319 km/h, second slowest only to Cadillac (318.5 km/h). Mercedes led at 334.1 km/h. Bortoleto explained: "It feels like we are always chasing on the straights... saving energy."
• Reliability issues compounded the weekend: Hulkenberg's car caught fire from a leak; Bortoleto was disqualified from the sprint for an air pressure spike; both drivers suffered braking and overheating problems. Earlier, both failed to start races in Australia and China.
• Hulkenberg on the engine: "Our drivability is a topic... we're not the most powerful power unit. We definitely have a deficit. It's a combination of things which can leave you quite exposed." He noted that as a new manufacturer, reliability is a "big focus" but will be "work in progress."
• Bortoleto's assessment: "I think it's a bit of everything... we just lack power. Our chassis looks in a good place, but with the engine we are behind. There are many small areas that make a big difference at the end of the lap."

What's next:

Audi is prioritizing fixes, but as Hulkenberg says, there are "no easy fixes." The team must address interconnected issues in power output, harvesting, and driveability. The immediate focus is on reliability to ensure both cars finish races, while longer-term performance gains are pursued. With the season still young, Audi has time to turn qualifying promise into points — but only if the power unit improves.