In Japan, to take just one example, Gabriel Bortoleto<\/a> and Nico Hulkenberg<\/a> qualified eighth and 13th, but by the end of the opening lap they were lying 13th and 19th. It\u2019s understood that Audi\u2019s power unit has a relatively large turbo compressor, where the trade-off for higher boost pressure is greater inertia \u2013 so the boost is longer in arriving.<\/p>\n Beyond being a contributor to slow launches, this also has an impact throughout the lap because it places more demands on the electrical part of the powertrain to deliver the required torque while the turbo is spooling up. Given the limitations on how much power can be harvested and deployed per lap, this means the Audi PU is, in effect, forced to \u2018spend\u2019 part of that amount covering shortfalls in the internal combustion engine\u2019s output, which puts it at a disadvantage compared with rivals.<\/p>\n \u201cIt [Japan] has been a poor start,\u201d said Mattia Binotto, who added team principal duties to his portfolio last weekend following the departure of Jonathan Wheatley<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it’s not the first time, so it’s certainly not our strength. At the moment, the reason it has not been addressed so far is because it’s not an obvious thing to be fixed.<\/p>\n \u201cBut on the other side, we know it’s a top priority for us. Because, again, we had a good quali and not it\u2019s worthwhile having starting good positions if we are losing all the positions at the start.\u201d<\/p>\n Bortoleto lost five places at the start in Japan<\/p>\n Photo by: Simon Galloway \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n The challenge for Audi is that the opportunities for change are limited, and not just because design choices such as compressor size aren\u2019t easily unpicked mid-season, given the tight integration of chassis and engine. The FIA\u2019s ADUO framework does provide some latitude for change, but in limited quantities and within a restricted time frame.<\/p>\n Internal combustion engines found to be between 2% and 4% off the benchmark engine according to the FIA\u2019s performance metric are allowed one specific change immediately. Those over 4% are granted more concessions including increased dyno time and more flexibility under the cost cap.<\/p>\n But ADUO isn\u2019t an opportunity for a quick fix, and nor was it intended to be. Engine development is a longer process than progressing a car design, so ADUO is structured to provide a gentle pivot, preventing competitive advantages and disadvantages from becoming \u2018baked in\u2019 from season to season.<\/p>\n For this reason, the evaluation points were set quarterly through the season \u2013 originally every six races when 24 grands\u00a0prix were on the schedule. Now, given the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs, the exact timing of the first \u2018checkpoint\u2019 is under discussion \u2013 it could be the Miami GP, now the fourth rather than the sixth round, or it could be Monaco.<\/p>\n![\"Bortoleto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gabriel-bortoleto-audi-f1-team.jpg\")
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