Audi F1 Engine Earns Praise from Competition: It’s « Very, Very Good »

The German marque is making its F1 debut this year and has been competitive from the off. Rivals are now highlighting the impressive straight-line performance of Audi’s new power unit.

Audi made its long-awaited return to Formula 1 in 2026 as a full factory team, taking over the Sauber operation and introducing its first-ever in-house power unit. Despite being a complete newcomer to the engine game under the radical new regulations, the German manufacturer has shown promising signs from the very first races.

Strong Debut in Australia

Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a historic result for the team, scoring points and reaching Q3 in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. While Nico Hülkenberg faced a mechanical issue that prevented him from starting the race, the overall package demonstrated solid midfield competitiveness right from the start.

Komatsu: Audi Is « Very, Very Good » on Straights

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has delivered one of the most surprising endorsements of the season. When asked about engine performance in the tight midfield battle, Komatsu pushed back against claims that his Ferrari-powered cars held a clear advantage over Audi.

“I don’t know how you can say… ‘ours clearly better than Audi’. I don’t know what you’re looking at to say that. Have you looked at GPS trace? No, I don’t think you can say that at all.” Ayao Komatsu rebuffing suggestions of a Ferrari engine advantage

Hülkenberg Acknowledges Progress

Audi driver Nico Hülkenberg was equally positive about the power unit’s contribution, stating that without the PU the team would not be where they are currently. He noted that while there is still significant work to do — especially in race conditions — the engine has provided a strong foundation for the debut season.

Team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto has expressed full confidence that Audi will become one of the top engine manufacturers, acknowledging the challenges of building a competitive hybrid unit in the first year against rivals with over a decade of experience.

Early Days but Promising Signs

The 2026 regulations feature a near 50/50 split between combustion engine and electric power, running on sustainable fuels. Audi’s power unit has shown particular strength in straight-line speed, which has helped the team stay competitive in the upper-midfield despite limited data compared to manufacturers with customer teams.

As the season continues, Audi will look to develop the unit further, with potential upgrades available under the new rules. The early praise from competitors suggests the German marque has made a solid impression in its F1 engine debut.