Audi’s participation in the Miami Grand Prix has been marked by a series of setbacks that have left CEO Gernot Dollner and technical director Mattia Binotto with much to resolve. After a promising start in Melbourne, where Gabriel Bortoleto scored points, the team has faced another disastrous day.
In the race, both Audi vehicles suffered serious incidents. Nico Hulkenberg was unable to participate in the sprint after his car was seen smoking before the start. Bortoleto, despite finishing the race, was disqualified for exceeding the air intake pressure, a mistake that surprised even industry experts.
With only two points throughout the season, Audi’s team has seen their hopes of proving their competitiveness fade away. Moreover, the departure of Jonathan Wheatley, the team director who has stepped down, adds a layer of confusion and instability to an already complicated situation.
Technical problems seem to be a constant for Audi. After the sprint episode, Bortoleto experienced issues with the gearbox that delayed his participation in qualifying, along with a new breakdown that ended with the car on fire at the end of the race.
Despite the team acknowledging that on-track performances are inconsistent, even the Cadillac team, one of the new participants, has achieved better reliability so far. With an eye on the future, Audi hopes the situation improves before the next Grand Prix, aiming to reverse the trend of disappointing results.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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