Audi F1 engine ‘just lacks power’

Audi’s Formula 1 power unit has been described as “where we can gain the most” by its driver Gabriel Bortoleto, with team-mate Nico Hulkenberg in agreement.

Audi has taken over the Sauber outfit amid F1’s 2026 regulatory overhaul, designing and producing its first-ever power unit, but has suffered from a lack of performance and reliability and failed to score any points in the last three rounds.

Although the R26 is consistently flirting with Q3 – the team’s lead driver has never qualified below 11th in the six qualifying sessions thus far – race results have not been forthcoming due to the engine lacking power and numerous reliability niggles.

Asked about how the Audi struggles to overtake slower cars, Hulkenberg explained: “It's a combination of things. Our driveability is definitely a topic. It's something that we have a lot of room for improvement since the beginning of the year. We're working on it, but it's a longer-term subject. There's no easy fixes for that, really.

“It's interconnecting many things that have to work together in harmony for it to be good. Power, definitely. We're not the most powerful power unit out there. We definitely have a deficit on that, we know that. So it's a combination of things which then can leave you quite exposed in certain conditions.”

“I think it comes a bit from the driveability,” Bortoleto concurred. “But realistically we are suffering a bit with our engine right now, engine power. We are behind.

“Our car, our chassis looks in a good place. But with the engine, in my point of view we have done an amazing job to start a project with what we have, but when we are competing against other teams right now, we can see the lack of power a little bit.

Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team (Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images)

“And sometimes it's just difficult, because it feels like we are always chasing, chasing on the straights, trying to save energy here until we're taking the next one. And that has not been the case.”

Asked if this was purely linked to the V6’s power or also harvesting efficiency, the Brazilian added: “I think it's a bit of everything. There is not really one thing that stands out as a big problem. We just lack power. That's realistically what we are facing right now. It's clear when you look at data – public data that we have available as well – it's just what we are going through. I think there are many small areas here and there that make a big difference at the end of the lap.”

Albeit fast in qualifying, Audi had the second-slowest car in the Miami race with 319km/h recorded at the speed trap, leading only Cadillac on 318.5km/h and noticeably down on Mercedes’ 334.1km/h.

Throughout the Floridan weekend, the team’s struggles were compounded by Hulkenberg’s car catching fire due to a leak, Bortoleto being disqualified from the sprint due to a spike in air pressure, a braking problem for the Brazilian and an “overheating” issue on the German’s machine.

Previously, both drivers failed to start a grand prix each in Australia and China, again due to technical problems. Hence reliability being a priority, Hulkenberg said.

“A big focus on it, obviously, with Miami really difficult and tough in that respect,” he commented.

“On the power unit side, we are still a new team in history. Before last year, in the last 20 years, it's always been a customer team, never really had to take care of that side. Now, obviously, we do all in-house. It's very complex machinery and we're at the beginning. We're at the start still, but there has been a big focus on that, a big push to get on top of these things for now onwards. But it's going to be a work in progress. We just need to work through the problems.”