Audi’s Points Finish a Good Sign for the Future of the Team

With the first race of the 2026 season in the books, most teams have gotten the feel for how the rest of their season is going to go. There were some great surprises, with the Mercedes vs. Ferrari battle, and some disappointments with Aston Martin. One team that was a big shock to everyone, though, was Audi. For their first time ever in Formula One, they managed to secure two points. This is a huge step for a team, not only taking over an old outfit but producing their own power unit.

Audi was announced to join Formula One during the 2026 season, and nobody knew how they would perform. The kick Sauber team they took over wasn’t known for performance. With a focus on their own team exclusively, and not on analysis of the other teams, they didn’t look set to compete. They proved everyone wrong when their young driver, Gabriel Bortoleto, climbed up to P9 during the Australian Grand Prix. This gave them great hope for the rest of the season as Bortoleto was the only driver to race during that Grand Prix, with their other driver, Nico Hülkenberg, being unable to start the Grand Prix due to a loss of telemetry. If they had both cars on the track that day, it’s very possible they could’ve scored another one or two points. Team principal Jonathan Wheatley viewed it as “A Yin and Yang situation”. While on one hand it could be disappointing to lose a driver due to unforeseen telemetry issues, to be given points in your first race as a constructor is a decent trade-off. Audi’s biggest hurdle right now is getting both cars to run reliably.

With the team looking excited for the Chinese Grand Prix, hopes are high that they will be able to continue the success with both cars and retain their midfield placing. Hulkenberg's long F1 career is what the team is looking for. Bortoleto’s impressive rookie season gives them a driver to develop. Audi fans will be able to look ahead with excitement as they continue their first year in the pinnacle of motorsport.