Sauber Motorsport boss Mattia Binotto has admitted Audi is braced to have an initial “gap to recover” once it debuts as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer in 2026.
Audi will embark upon a much-anticipated maiden venture in the series once it takes over the current Sauber-ran team when new technical regulations are introduced.
The German marque will aim to capitalise on a reset to the rules to revive Sauber’s struggling prospects as the Hinwil-based squad sits last with zero points this term.
Audi is poised to encounter an uphill task to hit the ground running, however, as it has also committed to developing its own engine rather than remain as a customer.
But Binotto, who was appointed in August to oversee Audi’s impending entrance, has disclosed that the Ingolstadt-based brand’s plans are progressing as anticipated.
“I’ve been visiting Neuberg in the last days and weeks,” Binotto said.
“The engine is progressing well, running on the dyno, some long distances so far already performed.”
Binotto expects Audi to be on the back foot
But although the engine regulations will be revised in 2026, Binotto has conceded that Audi will be on the back foot compared to the established incumbent suppliers.
“I think here as well, it’s a learning process. We are competing with other organisations where manufacturers are settled down,” he accepted.
“Certainly, all the experience is pretty important and valid.
“So while I think the organisation there [at Audi] is great, the facilities are great, the programs are going ahead, still there is a learning curve, which needs to be done.
“So I’m expecting initially to have a gap to recover. How big it will be, I think that you can never know.”
Audi’s PU deficit is not clearcut
The ex-Ferrari Team Principal has acknowledged, though, that the margin Audi has to eradicate on the powertrain side will not become clear until its car hits the track.
“Only by the time we will be on track that we can only understand. But we’ve got more than a year from now to then,” he explained.
“There is an intense program on the dynos in development and it will be our task to make sure that we can enforce it, speeding up as much as we can, but try to be as competitive as we can be at the start of 2026.”
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