Audi has endured a mixed start to the new F1 season, but is being held back by one key concern.
Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto acknowledged that the team is facing challenges with poor starts impacting their performance and results significantly. Despite a promising start with a point scored in Australia, Bortoleto struggled to maintain momentum in subsequent races. The issue of poor starts also affected his teammate Nico Hulkenberg, causing both to finish outside the top 10. Bortoleto pointed out that while improvements could be made, solving the issue would take time and might not result in immediate competitive gains against teams like Ferrari and Mercedes. The struggles with starts are a common problem among manufacturers using the new power units introduced in 2026, highlighting the complexity of the situation. Bortoleto emphasized the need for Audi to address and rectify the issue to enhance their overall competitiveness in the races.
