Audi Formula 1 project chief Mattia Binotto has handed his team a reality check about what is and isn’t possible on track as the FIA’s ADUO programme will soon take effect.
The Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities scheme is a significant part of the new regulations, which enables teams that meet the criteria to receive additional help.
If there is a team that is unable to be within 2 per cent of the fastest, then it will be permitted a free upgrade, and will be granted more if engine measurements find a bigger gap than two per cent.
At the present time, Audi is meeting this, and therefore will be able to build on its moderately positive start to the campaign, but Binotto is cautious of just how much it will give them in terms of results.
“The lead times on the engine are very long, and we believe that most of the gap to the top teams is from the power unit, which is not unexpected,” Binotto told media, including Motorsport Week.
“We knew that it would be the biggest challenge, but engine development, when it comes to some concepts, can take longer, and it is not by chance that we have set 2030 as your objective, because we know that it will take a long time.
“It is not that we are not ambitious and we would like to see things solved in a couple of races, but sometimes that is not the case.
“We need to understand exactly where we are as a team, what the plan is, and stick to the plan because miracles are not possible, so we are not here to create miracles.
“We cannot do that, but we are here to have a proper plan to address and improve in the future.”
Amid the departure of Jonathan Wheatley, Binotto is required to provide stability with the German marque just three races into its first-ever F1 season.
If he can steady this ship successfully, along with any benefits ADUO gives, then the Hinwil-based squad will surely be able to give a good account of itself.
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