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Audi's Formula 1 team principal, Mattia Binotto, has outlined the German manufacturer's ambition to contend for the world championship title by 2030, following a solid start to their debut season.
The German marque took over Sauber's slot on the Formula 1 grid for the 2026 season. After nine rounds of the campaign, the team sits ninth in the standings with six points, all earned by Gabriel Bortoletto, who is in his second season in the world championship.
While veteran teammate Nico Hülkenberg is yet to score points, Audi has demonstrated competitiveness, reaching Q2 in every race, including three appearances in Q3.
This provides a strong foundation, with hopes that the coming years will lay the groundwork for the next regulatory overhaul, scheduled for 2031.
“We've actually set a target that extends far beyond 2026 and 2027,” Binotto told motorsport.com. “Our goal is 2030: we want to build a team capable of fighting for the world championship. We know there will be important milestones along this path. The first for us will probably be 2028, when we expect to make a further leap in performance. That's why I view 2026 and 2027 primarily as building years, rather than years to be judged solely on race results.”
“At this stage, what interests me most is seeing how the company grows. Just over a hundred people work trackside, but behind the scenes, there are around 1400 individuals working daily on the chassis and power unit. Often, people only see the trackside team, but that's just the visible part of the project. The track is the icing on the cake. But first, we need to bake the cake. For me, the most important results over the next two years will be those related to the growth of the organization.”
It's already clear where the R26 car needs improvement, specifically in its power unit. In the last race at Silverstone, both Bortoletto and Hülkenberg were among the slowest in terms of top speed during qualifying.
Recent ADUO results also indicate that in terms of internal combustion engine power, Audi lags more than 4% behind the presumed benchmark of Red Bull Ford, which allows the team to use two tokens for engine improvements.
Audi hopes these upgrades will bring the power unit's performance in line with its already strong chassis, which Bortoletto stated in Austria is on par with teams like Mercedes and other frontrunners.
“Regarding the power unit, I'm not surprised,” Binotto added. “I knew we would start a bit later because we are building entirely new skills and knowledge. This is a long-term project, and I am convinced that Audi will have a top-tier power unit within a few seasons.”
“However, as for the chassis, I am very pleased. We started building this project a few years ago, and today we are beginning to see the first results. What this team has managed to achieve is already a huge success and gives me confidence. It means we have the right people to build a winning team.”
“It's always difficult to determine whether we are fourth or fifth in terms of on-track performance today, but it's enough to listen to the comments from drivers of other teams. Everyone acknowledges that our car is very strong in the corners. This is also evident from data analysis: what we lose on the straights, we manage to make up in the corners.”
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