Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto see that Audi still has significant steps to take with the power unit of the Audi R26. Although the chassis is competitive enough according to both drivers to regularly reach the third part of qualifying, they say the engine still lacks power and drivability. “We are working on it, but you can’t just fix that,” Hülkenberg says.
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Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto especially see the drivability of the Audi power unit as an important point of attention. During the first race of the season in Australia, the Brazilian managed to score points – a ninth position. Yet the team has been struggling with the same problems since the start of the season according to the German. “It is a combination of factors. Our driveability is definitely an issue. Since the beginning of the year, there is room for improvement there. We are working on it, but it is something for the long term. You can’t just fix that,” Hülkenberg says in Canada.
Despite strong qualifying performances, Audi still fails to maintain that pace in races according to Hülkenberg. Especially on the straights, the team falls short compared to the competition. “We certainly do not have the most powerful power unit. We have a deficit and we know that. That makes us vulnerable in certain circumstances,” the German says.
‘Completely new team’
Besides the lack of power, reliability still plays an important role according to Hülkenberg. Both drivers have already retired this season before the race even started. Therefore, the focus within Audi is currently mainly on stability and reliability, rather than performance. “In terms of power unit, we are still a completely new team. It is a complex matter and we are just at the beginning. A lot of work is being done to solve the problems, but it remains a work in progress for now,” the driver explains.
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Bortoleto also emphasizes that the drivability of the engine still needs to improve. Yet the Brazilian simultaneously sees enough positive points in Audi’s project. “Our car and chassis look good. With the power unit, considering where we came from, we have already made a lot of progress. But as soon as we fight against other teams, we notice that we still lack some power. According to the Brazilian, the problem is not in one aspect, but in several small details that together cost a lot of time over a full lap. “That sometimes makes it difficult, because it feels like we are constantly chasing on the straights,” Bortoleto concludes in Montreal.
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