Mattia Binotto reveals Audi’s surprising target for their F1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix

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Audi will bring a strengthened presence to the grid in 2026, as they help to boost the number of genuine manufacturer teams in Formula 1.

It has been nearly four years since they announced that they would be involved in the championship, and now they’re days away from their first pre-season test.

Audi’s driver line-up is a blend of youth and experience, and their management consists of some very successful figures. Foundationally, they have made a strong start.

Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto is a master of engines and will come in handy, while ex-Red Bull chief Jonathan Wheatley will serve as a strong addition, too.

Instant reaction to Audi’s first livery?

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F1 fans compared Audi’s livery to Lewis Hamilton’s McLarens from the late 2000s, and it’s easy to see where they’re coming from.

But it isn’t all positive news, with Audi ‘highly likely’ to be at a ‘disadvantage’ in 2026 as they face fuel issues. There’s going to be plenty for them to be working on.

READ MORE: Nico Hulkenberg’s 2026 Audi contract contains clause that nearly bankrupted rival F1 team

Mattia Binotto just wants Audi to ‘finish’ the Australian Grand Prix

Damon Hill says Audi’s 2026 engine sounds ‘really nice’, but that’s not particularly any good for them. They need it to be fast and reliable, too.

It’s going to take a while for them to get up to speed compared to their rivals, who have a lot of experience in all areas.

That’s why they’ve set themselves a target of 2030 to start winning, which may feel like a long way away, but isn’t in Formula 1 terms.

Binotto’s target for their first-ever race at the Australian Grand Prix makes sense, but may surprise some fans who have come to expect reliability over the last few seasons.

“Podium? No,” he said at Audi’s car launch. “I think our target in Melbourne is to finish the race, because reliability is important to me at this stage of development. So do the whole race, do the whole weekend without significant problems on the track.

“This will be used by the drivers and the team to further develop the car. To do this, we need a lot of time to spend on the track. So the first goal is to be reliable.”

READ MORE: Audi’s first 2026 Formula 1 car outing could now set alarm bells ringing at Ferrari

Why Audi should be able to make quick progress with their 2026 F1 car

Although some of their components will need a long-term vision, the core of Audi’s team exists from Sauber, and they have a lot of experience too.

They’ve made a lot of new hires that will start to have an influence over things, and their aerodynamics should be one of their strengths.

Although they might start slow and are expected to be the 10th fastest team, just ahead of the completely new Cadillac operation, they should be able to build up fairly quickly.

The rate of development is going to be rapid this year. Times will improve immensely year-on-year when it gets to 2027, and it will show just how much each team ends up improving.