Audi may have left the Austrian Grand Prix empty-handed once again, but the team’s Racing Director Allan McNish believes the weekend marked a genuine breakthrough for the team.
Gabriel Bortoleto crossed the line in 11th, narrowly missing out on what would have been Audi’s first points since the season-opening race in Australia, while Nico Hulkenberg followed closely behind in 12th.
Yet rather than dwelling on another frustrating near-miss, McNish saw clear evidence that the Hinwil-based squad is finally heading in the right direction.
That optimism is particularly significant given the nature of the Red Bull Ring—a circuit where engine performance is critical and where Audi knows its power unit still trails the competition.
‘Our best weekend so far’
Despite its current power deficit, Audi remained firmly in the midfield fight throughout the weekend in Spielberg. A substantial aerodynamic upgrade package delivered the expected gains, while both cars completed the event without the reliability concerns that have disrupted previous races.
For McNish, it all added up to the team's strongest all-round performance of the campaign.
“To be honest, I think it was our best weekend so far in terms of all the runs through Free Practice, Qualifying, race, getting the maximum out of the car,” said the Audi chief.
“Performance around this circuit was always going to be a little bit trickier, although we brought the upgrades, and they actually tallied up pretty well.
“But the VCARBs were quicker. End of story. And once they're ahead, it's very difficult to race them. Not very much happened in the race itself. So both Gabi and Nico, I thought, drove very, very well.”
With no retirements among the cars ahead, Audi's hopes of sneaking into the top 10 relied purely on pace. McNish believes both drivers extracted virtually everything the R26 had to offer.
Read also: F1i Driver Ratings for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix
“They delivered everything out of it, and so there wasn't really much else that we could have done beyond where we are at the moment,” he said.
“I think that especially around here with the nature of the track and the nature of where our performance lies, that was what it was.
“Hence, the reason that, yes, I am quite happy, because it was a big step forward. Again, if you think back just a couple of races ago, it was another step in the right direction.
“But now we need to maintain that sort of level of performance in terms of execution, getting the maximum out of it, and then when things are a little bit more in our favour, to take the advantage of it.”
Reasons for optimism
While Audi's power unit remains an area of focus, McNish believes steady progress is being made behind the scenes. Early reliability concerns have largely been addressed, and incremental improvements introduced in recent races have already begun to pay dividends.
“We know where we are,” said McNish. “It is the first power unit we've built. It is, I think, pretty robust now we've got a few of the initial teething things out of the way, and we're making steps forward.
“Some of it will be more longer-term. But we were able to bring in some things for Barcelona, which definitely helped us small amount, and we're making other adaptations that we can within the regulations as they are at the moment.”
With Spielberg representing one of the most power-sensitive circuits on the calendar, Audi now heads to upcoming races believing its upgraded package could prove even more competitive at venues where outright engine performance plays a smaller role.
The points may still be elusive, but if Austria is any indication, Audi's long climb toward the Formula 1 midfield is beginning to gather real momentum.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
Audi hails ‘best weekend so far’ despite pointless run in Austria F1i.com.
Hence then, the article about audi hails best weekend so far despite pointless run in austria was published today ( ) and is available on F1 News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Audi hails ‘best weekend so far’ despite pointless run in Austria )
Also on site :