Audi Boss Responds to Gabriel Bortoleto's Bold Chassis Claim

Allan McNish has rejected Gabriel Bortoleto's suggestion that the Audi chassis could be among Formula 1's top three if paired with a stronger power unit. According to McNish, a Formula 1 car must always be evaluated as a complete package rather than separating the chassis from the engine.

During the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, Bortoleto argued that Audi's R26 was highly competitive through the corners and believed the car could challenge at the front if it did not lose so much time on the straights due to its current engine performance.

"If we had the same top speed as Mercedes or Red Bull, we would have been fighting for the top three. Looking at the GPS data, we are very quick in the corners but lose massively on the straights," Bortoleto explained.

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While acknowledging that Audi's chassis performs well in several areas, McNish dismissed the idea that the power unit alone is preventing the team from fighting near the front.

"The numbers clearly show we are very competitive in medium and high-speed corners. We can still improve in low-speed corners and several other areas. But to say we are already a top-three or top-four car, I wouldn't go that far," McNish said.

He also stressed that the chassis and power unit cannot be analysed independently because both contribute directly to overall vehicle performance throughout the lap, not just on the straights.

"It is a car and a power unit, and that is the important thing. In theory you can separate them, but in reality the power unit also helps the car through the corners just as much as the chassis does. The driver is also part of that complete package. That is where we are today," he added.

Audi continues developing its first Formula 1 power unit and is expected to receive FIA ADUO support once the evaluation process is officially completed. Despite the current engine deficit, McNish insisted the team's priority remains improving the entire package rather than focusing on a single component.