Despite a 12th place and a DNF, Audi Racing Director Allan McNish was pretty satisfied with the result during last weekend’s 2026 F1 Miami GP. The Sprint on Saturday was a little disaster with Nico Hülkenberg not starting and Gabriel Bortoleto eventually being disqualified. However, Sunday’s Grand Prix proper provided the newly appointed Racing Director with plenty of positives.
Bortoleto’s race provided promising pace for Audi, says McNish
Looking back at Bortoleto’s race, McNish couldn’t pinpoint any particular issues with the car. He felt the Brazilian youngster did what he could given his 21st starting position.
“Not necessarily,” McNish replied when asked whether Bortoleto suffered any particular problems. “Not more than what we know from this situation that we’re in at the moment. Basically, from where he started with the performance level, he was quicker than the people we expected him to be quicker. I think if he had started normally where he could have qualified, in and around that 11th place, 10th, 11th, then he would have finished in the points.”
Had Hülkenberg not ran into issues, McNish would have expected a similar result from him. So all-in-all, a decent result for Audi in the 2026 F1 Miami GP, McNish concluded.
“Same with Nico, to be honest with you, if we had a clean race there.
“So, I think in terms of performance-wise, then it’s quite clear that, especially for us through that first sector, we’re looking really strong. We still, when we came up on traffic, were not quite as easy to get past people as what we’d like.
“But, you know, hopefully we’re not in a position where we have to overtake them like we had today. So, in that respect, I think Gabi drove a really good race, a balanced race, and managed everything pretty well. He still has to manage a little bit.
“Also, I don’t really see him being able to finish any higher. In reality, it was all about other people.”
Front wing damage and drivetrain issues cut Hülkenberg’s hopes short at Miami GP
Hülkenberg’s race was off to a poor start, as he picked up front wing damage in the first corner. The resulting pit stop prompted Audi to gamble on the rain to come, but the predictions didn’t come true.
“For Nico, first corner, losing the front wing, you’re always going to be struggling there and then hoping that the rain came, but the rain wasn’t going to come.
“It was supposed to come 10-12 laps in and then suddenly it sort of moved. Once Nico had done his pit stop, we were hoping that that was going to be a roll of the dice, but it never came. And then we also had to retire the car anyway.“
The cause of Hülkenberg’s retirement was a separate issue from the thing that left him stranded ahead of the 2026 F1 Miami GP Sprint, McNish said. But despite not knowing the root cause yet, the Scotsman wasn’t too bothered by the issue.
“We don’t know exactly what it was at the moment. The drivetrain overheating situation there, so we don’t know what has caused it yet. We will get the car back, dissemble it and have a look.
“But it’s not something that we’re too concerned about.”
