Reliability Remains Audi’s Biggest F1 Challenge

Reliability Remains Audi’s Biggest F1 Challenge NurPhoto - Getty Images Audi scored points on its debut as a works team in Formula 1 this year, but reliability gremlins have since hindered the team’s prospects. Gabriel Bortoleto netted ninth place in Australia, but Audi’s tally has remained firmly on two points, as its poor getaways off the line have been compromised by a spate of setbacks. A non-start for Nico Hulkenberg in Australia was followed by another non-start, this time for Bortoleto in China, but after a two-car finish in Japan, matters reached a nadir in Miami.

Audi was once again in that midfield mix—close to Q3, close to the points—but a spate of problems wrecked its weekend. Nico Hulkenberg suffered a fluid leak on his reconnaissance lap to the Sprint grid that caused a fire, and another non-start, while his grand prix lasted just seven laps due to an overheating drivetrain. Gabriel Bortoleto was excluded from Sprint due to the engine’s air intake pressure exceeding the limit, while after a gearbox change between sessions he was hampered by a brake issue in qualifying, causing a fire at the end of Q1.

Gabriel Bortoleto and Niko Hulkenberg. Hector Vivas - Formula 1 - Getty Images It means Audi has completed only 281 of 448 racing laps this year—more only than McLaren, which had its own disaster in China that skews its figures—and of the power unit manufacturers it has the least mileage, fewer even than Honda, whose own problems have been well documented. “I don’t think we had a single issue that was similar,” Bortoleto said.

“I think we had many [issues], but we haven’t had one that was the same. ” The encouraging factor for Audi is that the underlying pace of the chassis is promising, with Bortoleto rising from 21st on the grid to finish in 12th position, confident “we’d be fighting for points” if he could have had a clean qualifying session. Hulkenberg was particularly frustrated after a squandered weekend.