(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 1 newcomer Audi is using a new gear ratio for the Audi R26 at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza (follow all sessions here in the Formula 1 live ticker!). “It’s mainly about drivability,” explains Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
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His team had already “realized relatively early in the year” that changes would be necessary. Now Audi is implementing these changes. With what consequences? Bortoleto is cautiously optimistic: “It should help us to have a somewhat more consistent performance at the start. But I don’t think our starts will improve massively because of it.”
Especially since Audi, according to Nico Hülkenberg, has already made “great progress” in the starting procedure. This was shown in Zandvoort: “Both race starts were quite competitive for me. At least there were no problems and I didn’t lose any positions,” said Hülkenberg.
It was different at the beginning of the 2026 Formula 1 season: Audi drivers Bortoleto and Hülkenberg were often pushed back several places during the start phase. As a result, points were often out of reach despite a promising initial position.
Therefore, the starting procedure continues to be a priority in Audi’s development: “If you work out a good starting position in qualifying, you also have to be able to defend it at the start and in the first lap. That is crucial for the race result,” said Hülkenberg. “That’s why we are definitely working on it intensively.”
Is Audi a points contender in Monza?
But good starts are one thing, good speed over the race distance another. The pure power output does not make Bortoleto optimistic for Monza: “I think it’s no secret that we are currently lagging behind in the performance of our power unit.”
However, he sees the Audi R26 as a “complete package” and does “not put it down solely to the car or the engine,” Bortoleto continued. Although Audi has managed to improve drivability and overall power output through various updates during the season, “we are still somewhat behind at the moment. That’s the truth,” said Bortoleto.
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The Audi milestones in Formula 1
Therefore, he “does not know exactly” whether points are realistic for Audi in Monza. His reasoning: “On tracks like Spa and Silverstone, I expected that we wouldn’t be fast because of the many straights. In the end, I was probably wrong about that.”
“Of course, I don’t think Monza is the best track for us with our current package. But I don’t rule out a good result. If we do everything right and get ourselves into a good starting position in qualifying, we can run our race from there and probably fight for points. But it definitely won’t be easy.”
Will the current Audi streak continue?
On the other hand, Audi has scored points at four consecutive race weekends recently – something that seemed out of reach at the start of the season. For Hülkenberg, this development was “only a matter of time, because at the start of the season we still had to overcome some problems and difficulties. We have done that.” (Photo gallery: The Audi milestones in Formula 1)
From his point of view, the “knot burst” at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, Hülkenberg continued. “Unfortunately, that was quite late in the season. But that’s how it went this year. I knew: It would work out eventually.”
Recent successes have created a mood of optimism at Audi. Hülkenberg describes it as “good and positive,” especially since the team has recently made “definitely great progress” and “improved significantly” compared to the start of the season.
“Overall, I think we are quite satisfied with what we have achieved so far and where we stand in our first year,” said Hülkenberg. “We are building an engine, the hydraulics, the gearbox, and all these things ourselves for the first time. These are big and complicated tasks. So we are definitely satisfied.”
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