Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Audi insists F1 reliability issues "are all fixable"
Audi has had a tough Barcelona test so far, but the squad remains optimistic
Ben Vinel
Published: Jan 29, 2026, 3:25 PM
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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
Photo by: Audi
"Had we run faultlessly from the outset, that would have been a very pleasant surprise."
Although Formula 1's pre-season shakedown is taking place behind closed doors at Barcelona, Audi is known to have suffered from a number of reliability issues, which didn’t quite amaze technical director James Key.
Gabriel Bortoleto completed just 27 laps on Monday after a “a couple of problems” curtailed Audi’s day around 11:30am local time; on Wednesday, Nico Hulkenberg caused another red flag before 10am, though he was able to make up for lost time in the afternoon with 68 laps’ worth of data, according to SoyMotor’s unofficial timing.
This has nonetheless been a trying week for the German constructor, which is competing in F1 for the first time after taking over the Sauber outfit.
Most importantly, Audi has joined the world championship as a power unit manufacturer amid a switch to a new engine formula featuring a greater emphasis on electric energy – hence those gremlins despite the brand’s experience with hybrid powertrains in endurance and rally-raid.
“This test is a prove-out test of a very new car for everyone of course, but particularly for us with a very new power unit as well, the first Audi power unit, so this is all about reliability and getting the fundamentals figured out,” Key told F1 on Wednesday evening.
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Photo by: Audi
“So I think on that basis, although we had a little bit of delay, or quite a bit of delay in the end actually, on the first day for various reasons which are all fixable – but this is why we test, we don't want to be discovering this in Melbourne – today has shown some better progress.
“So, a little delay this morning, it was a hydraulic leak – real basic thing – but then this afternoon we've got back on track and we've done a lot of laps, so a step forward today I think.”
Asked if there had been any surprises so far, Key replied: “Nothing unexpected, actually.
“You know, I think had we run faultlessly from the outset, that would have been a very pleasant surprise.
“We've seen plenty of red flags; it's a very, very immature car still at the moment for everyone, but nothing particularly surprising. Like I say, this is really a mechanical test, the performance will become the priority later, but nothing surprising other than just working through everything we have to do.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
Photo by: Audi
As to whether Audi is on track to complete everything it planned to do at Barcelona, Key reckoned: “I think the really important stuff, yes.
“What we really needed to do is just get laps on the car. You know, our colleagues in Neuberg on the power unit side have got no track reference data at all. This is the first time they're actually going to get track data for their power unit and for the gearbox as well, so I think really it's a case of doing that and beginning to tune all these complex energy recovery strategies and all the various other things that go with the ‘26 car.
“So at the moment, yes, I'd say on that basis we're on target. Of course, the list is never ending in terms of what you really want to do, but provided we can have a good third day, I think we'll come away pretty pleased.”
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