– Miami is essentially a fresh start for Audi in Formula 1. After completing the first three Grands Prix in the manufacturer’s history in Australia, China, and Japan, a completely new chapter begins at the first US race – without the previous team principal Jonathan Wheatley.
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The Briton has surprisingly left the team, and former Formula 1 driver Allan McNish is stepping in for him, having taken on the new role of Audi’s Race Director and overseeing trackside operations alongside Operations Manager Mattia Binotto.
“This weekend is, of course, a very proud moment for me as I take on this new role within the team,” says McNish. “I’ve been part of this journey in various ways over the past few years and I’m looking forward to this next chapter as we continue to push our project forward.”
The Scot is primarily tasked with looking after the team’s sporting affairs on site – and these have been mixed so far. While Audi has repeatedly managed to break into the top 10 and score points in its very first race, it has also remained with the two points from Gabriel Bortoleto from the season opener.
First three races intensively analyzed
Twice the team couldn’t even start the Grand Prix with one car, and the team was repeatedly set back by minor issues, such as during pit stops. The race-free April offered the Hinwil-based racing team the chance to process the insights gained so far and now go into the restart in Miami strengthened.
“After a few weeks away from the track and the team’s first three races, where everyone worked incredibly hard, Miami is a chance to see where we stand compared to the competition,” says McNish.
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“We have analyzed all the data from the first races in detail and focused on the areas that can make a difference. The goal for the weekend is to apply these insights and build on what we’ve seen so far – especially at a sprint event, where everything is more compressed and the margin for error decreases.”
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And of course, the team wants to score the next points in the USA. At least they are going into the weekend with confidence, hoping to have a significant say in the fight for points.
Finally the first point for Hülkenberg?
Nico Hülkenberg, in particular, is finally eager for the first points for Audi after two eleventh-place finishes: “It’s good to be back after a few weeks off,” he says. “The break gave us time to analyze the first three races and understand where we stand and what we need to improve – especially in putting together a complete weekend without errors.”
“Now it’s about implementation,” knows the German. “It’s another sprint weekend, which means every session really counts. The focus is on getting things right quickly and creating a real chance for us to fight for points.”
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His teammate Gabriel Bortoleto also spent the race-free period at the two locations in Hinwil and Neuburg to work with the team and bring about further improvements. “That was useful, but now I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car,” says the Brazilian.
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“I enjoyed Miami last year; it’s a pretty unique event with the track around the stadium, an impressive paddock, and everything that goes on around it – a cool place to race. The goal is to make the entire weekend better, make the best possible use of the single practice session, and be in a good position from the start.”
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