Audi made a steady start during the opening two practice sessions of the Australian Grand Prix 2026 at Albert Park, showing respectable pace as the new works team continues to adapt to Formula 1 competition.
What worked
Audi managed top-10 appearances during FP1, with Gabriel Bortoleto finishing ninth and Nico Hulkenberg running around the P10–P12 range across the sessions. These results indicate a solid early adaptation for the team in its debut season.
The car appeared stable during runs, allowing both drivers to complete useful laps and gather valuable data.
What didn’t
Despite the encouraging start, Audi were still around 1.4–1.7 seconds off the session leaders in FP1, indicating that the team currently sits in the midfield at best.
The team also lacked the headline pace needed to challenge the frontrunners during qualifying simulations.
Overall
Audi’s first practice sessions show a promising foundation for a new works team, but the early results suggest performance gains will likely come gradually as development continues throughout the season.