Audi team principal Mattia Binotto: His assessment of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto

Audi’s Formula 1 team has scored points on four occasions over the past four Grand Prix weekends – Bortoleto finished eighth at Silverstone and in Belgium, followed by Hülkenberg in ninth at the Hungaroring and eighth at Zandvoort.

In the first two Monza practice sessions, Nico Hülkenberg finished P13, whilst Gabriel Bortoleto finished 8th and 15th.

Audi F1 project manager Mattia Binotto (56) spoke to my colleague Giulia Toninelli in *La Gazzetta dello Sport* about the current state of affairs at Audi: “We must always bear in mind that we are only at the beginning of a long journey. Our goal for 2026 was not to finish in the top ten every weekend; rather, we wanted to be seen as a team that is very seriously laying the foundations for the future. And that is exactly what we are doing now.”

“What we do on the racetrack is the visible part. Behind the scenes, however, we’re building up the team. If you want to be successful in modern Formula 1, you need the right infrastructure, and that’s what we’re putting in place. This also involves expanding our workforce.”

Audi-F1-Projektleiter Mattia Binotto

Foto: XPB

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“We’re currently recruiting lots of young staff, and we’re building a new building for the racing simulator. That won’t be finished until the end of 2027; the simulator will then be operational from 2028.”

Binotto, Ferrari’s long-standing Technical Director and Team Principal, says: “As an Italian, I bring a different culture to the team, complementing the German and Swiss mindsets. I find it enriching to have such a diverse atmosphere.”

Binotto’s first visit to Monza took place more than thirty years ago. “That was in 1995, during a Ferrari test. I’d just been hired, and when a Ferrari drove out onto the track, onto that seemingly endless straight, I got goosebumps.”

A year later, Michael Schumacher won at Monza. Binotto says: “Michael remains a benchmark to this day. I talk a lot about Michael with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. I often say: ‘You can’t recognise a champion just by the helmet he’s wearing.’ Schumacher could really inspire a team. He demanded a lot from his team, but he had a big heart and gave a lot back too.”

Speaking of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto, how satisfied is Binotto with his drivers? Mattia Binotto: “Very satisfied. Nico and Gabi are fast, work well together and have played a huge part in making us more competitive as the season has progressed. I don’t see them as the experienced one and the youngster; I see them as two exceptional drivers who give their all in every race.”