Audi team principal Mattia Binotto has revealed an ambitious timeline for the German manufacturer to become a genuine Formula 1 title contender by 2030.
The marque replaced Sauber on the grid for the 2026 season and has made a modest but encouraging start to life as a constructor in the sport’s top tier.
After nine rounds of the 2026 campaign, Audi sits ninth in the constructors’ standings with six points, all of which have come via rookie Gabriel Bortoleto.
Veteran team-mate Nico Hulkenberg has yet to get off the mark in terms of points, but the team has shown consistent pace across qualifying, reaching Q2 at every grand prix and making it into Q3 on three occasions.
Binotto is treating 2026 and 2027 as foundational years rather than ones where race results will define the project’s success or failure.
“We’ve actually set ourselves a goal that extends well beyond 2026 and 2027,” Binotto told Motorsport. “Our target is 2030: we want to build a team capable of competing for the world championship.”
Binotto identified 2028 as a key intermediate milestone, saying: “We know there will be important milestones along this journey. The first, for us, will likely be 2028, when we expect to make a further leap in quality.”
The team boss was keen to emphasise the scale of the operation being built behind the scenes, with around 1,400 people working on the chassis and power unit away from the race circuit.
“Often, people only look at the team on the track, but that’s the visible part of the project,” Binotto said. “The track is the icing on the cake. But first, we have to build the cake.”
One area demanding urgent attention is the power unit, with both Bortoleto and Hulkenberg running towards the back of the field in the qualifying speed trap at Silverstone.
Recent ADUO data indicates that Audi is more than four percent behind the Red Bull Ford benchmark on internal combustion engine power, entitling the team to two upgrade tokens on their engine.
Binotto acknowledged the power unit deficit but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to close the gap within a couple of seasons.
“Regarding the power unit, I’m not surprised,” he said. “I knew we’d be starting a bit late, because we’re building completely new skills and knowledge.”
He added: “It’s a long-term project and I’m convinced Audi will have a top-notch power unit within a couple of seasons.”
In contrast to the power unit struggles, the chassis has been a genuine bright spot, with Bortoleto claiming in Austria that it is on a par with the likes of Mercedes and other frontrunners.
Binotto shared his driver’s optimism, pointing to feedback from rivals as evidence that the R26 is a genuinely strong package in the corners.
“It’s always difficult to determine whether we’re fourth or fifth in competitiveness today, but just listen to the comments of the drivers from other teams,” Binotto said. “Everyone recognises that our car is very strong in the corners.”
He concluded: “What we lose on the straights, we manage to make up for in the corners,” reinforcing the belief that a stronger power unit would make Audi a much more dangerous proposition.