(Motorsport-Total.com) – For Audi, the winter testing sessions ahead of their first Formula 1 season came to an end on Friday in Bahrain. Both Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were in action, running different programs.
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First it was Hülkenberg’s turn, who completed 64 laps in the morning, but finished only in ninth place, 2.3 seconds behind Leclerc – only ahead of Cadillac and Aston Martin, who had not set a competitive time in the desert sand.
The German speaks of a “pretty solid day to conclude our work here in Sakhir and thus the pre-season preparations. Our program in Barcelona and the two sessions here in Bahrain are finished, and the focus now shifts to Melbourne – something that still felt so far away in January.”
“We have made significant progress over the course of the tests, learning day by day and taking important steps forward. The team was very proactive, reacted quickly to challenges and implemented solutions effectively,” praises Hülkenberg.
“Now we have a week to consolidate all our findings, do our homework and prepare thoroughly for Melbourne. Then it’s finally time for real racing.”
Bortoleto: “Two productive weeks”
In the afternoon, teammate Gabriel Bortoleto took over the car and even finished in seventh place, only 1.763 seconds behind the clear leader Charles Leclerc. However, the Brazilian was also allowed to run a qualifying simulation with the soft C4 tire.
“We are concluding two productive weeks here in Bahrain and looking back on a very busy pre-season overall,” says Bortoleto. “I think the team has done a really good job: we have made solid progress with our car compared to where we started, and seeing that is really encouraging.”
“There are still areas we need to work on and a lot to learn about the car, but overall you can say it was a positive test,” said the Brazilian, who was able to complete 71 laps on Friday. “Now the focus shifts to Melbourne: I’m looking forward to finally starting the season.”
In general, Audi can be quite satisfied with the test drives in Bahrain. They were able to complete 357 laps in the second week in Bahrain – more than, for example, Red Bull or Ferrari. “Looking back at these test weeks, the significant number of laps we completed is encouraging,” says Hülkenberg.
“It is a testament to the enormous work that has been done, especially in the factories in Hinwil, Bicester and Neuburg. Bringing a new power unit to the track and starting to understand it properly is a massive undertaking, so a sincere thank you to everyone involved.”
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Mattia Binotto has a “good feeling” ahead of the season
Those in charge are proud of everything Audi has achieved over the winter: because although, unlike Cadillac, they are not a brand-new team, there was a lot to do after the takeover of Sauber that was not related to the car itself.
“Over the winter, following the renovation of our factory building, we relocated several hundred people, signed a number of new partners and renewed every element of our trackside infrastructure – from pit equipment and paneling to command stands and hospitality – and everything was delivered on time,” explains team principal Jonathan Wheatley.
Despite everything, they were the first team to be on track with the brand-new car, which for him represents an “extraordinary achievement.”
In general, he is more than satisfied with what he has seen: “The mileage we achieved and the way the organization responded to every challenge of the last two months give me great courage,” he says. And project leader Mattia Binotto also has a “positive feeling” for the start of the season.
But Audi also knows that there is still a “considerable task list for the start of the season” ahead of the team. “We have made strong progress over the last two weeks, but we are under no illusions about the task ahead or the level of competition we will face in Melbourne. Nevertheless, we are motivated, focused and united,” says Wheatley.
Key: We are where we hoped to be
Technical Director James Key would agree with the statements and emphasizes: “It’s hard to believe that only six weeks ago, at the beginning of January, we tentatively rolled the car out of the garage for our filming day in Barcelona.”
Since then, however, Audi has made “significant progress.” “In recent weeks, we have introduced our race-specification aero package, completed full race distance simulations and carried out an enormous amount of set-up work on the chassis and power unit,” says Key, who speaks of an “intense time.”
“The drivers feel comfortable in the car, and it is a good platform to work with. There are areas we need to improve in terms of reliability and performance, but at this stage none of that is unexpected,” he continues.
Conclusion: “Overall, we are largely where we hoped to be at this point in the season and in our development as a team. As we continue to mature as the Audi team, we can take away more positives than negatives and go into the season with a certain amount of optimism – even if none of us really knows where we stand in the competition.”
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