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Gabriel Bortoleto<\/a> completed just 27 laps on Monday after a \u201ca couple of problems\u201d curtailed Audi\u2019s day<\/a> around 11:30am local time; on Wednesday, Nico Hulkenberg<\/a> caused another red flag before 10am, though he was able to make up for lost time in the afternoon with 68 laps\u2019 worth of data, according to SoyMotor\u2019s unofficial timing.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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 \u2013 hence those gremlins despite the brand\u2019s experience with hybrid powertrains in endurance and rally-raid.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cThis 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,\u201d Key told F1 on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team<\/p>\n \u201cSo 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 \u2013 but this is why we test, we don’t want to be discovering this in Melbourne \u2013 today has shown some better progress.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cSo, a little delay this morning, it was a hydraulic leak \u2013 real basic thing \u2013 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if there had been any surprises so far, Key replied: \u201cNothing unexpected, actually.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, I think had we run faultlessly from the outset, that would have been a very pleasant surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’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.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi<\/p>\n As to whether Audi is on track to complete everything it planned to do at Barcelona, Key reckoned: \u201cI think the really important stuff, yes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat 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 \u201826 car.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cSo 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n![\"Nico](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/952023786bcf0030f149837031a8b29d.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Gabriel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/d6ae995480bcca0df6b76114d5a5bc75.jpeg\"\/)
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