For those who had any doubts about Audi’s dedication to Components 1, have them no extra. The 4 rings’ CEO Gernot Doellner made a considerably uncommon choice by flying to Melbourne for the opening race of the season, even understanding he would spend extra time on the airplane than on the bottom in Australia.
And it wasn’t even a non-public jet journey. Doellner travelled on common industrial flights to make the journey.
The choice marked a change of plans in comparison with what he had recommended just a few months earlier. Talking final November throughout a press convention alongside F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali and Head of Audi F1 venture Mattia Binotto, Doellner admitted his schedule would possibly stop him from attending Audi’s first race.
“My solely fear is that my calendar does not enable me to be in Australia on the eighth of March,” he stated again then solely to suit the journey into the schedule final minute.
Doellner certainly had different vital commitments in the course of the week of the F1 season opener, as he was required to attend the Volkswagen Group board assembly on Friday. But he nonetheless selected to make the lengthy journey to Melbourne – maybe to show the model’s dedication to its new Components 1 venture.
The choice in the end paid off. Whereas solely one of many Audis truly made the beginning – with Nico Hulkenberg’s automobile breaking down on the way in which to the grid – Gabriel Bortoleto not solely completed the race for the brand new group, however crossed the road in ninth place, scoring two factors on Audi’s debut.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Crew
Photograph by: Andy Hone/ LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
“I believe we spent the winter specializing in ourselves,” stated group boss Jonathan Wheatley after the end in Melbourne. “We needed to come back right here and execute a clear race weekend. We had some encouraging testing, and we got here right here feeling fairly assured when it comes to the efficiency of the automobile.
“However if you happen to’d have stated to me, I may swap something and offer you P9 within the race, I’d have taken your hand off earlier within the week. I believe it has been a really encouraging first race for the group, a historic second, Audi, Components 1 automobile, scoring factors in its first ever race.
“All in all, we will maintain our head up excessive and say it is a good begin to our journey.”
For the model, which entered F1 at what’s broadly thought of the most important problem but for energy unit producers, the end result may hardly have been higher – particularly towards the backdrop of the problems Honda is at the moment dealing with, regardless of having years of expertise and amenities developed for Components 1.
For Doellner, flying to Australia hoping to have fun the group’s first factors would have appeared overly optimistic – but he nonetheless made the journey, understanding he must board a airplane once more on Sunday evening to return to Germany.
On arrival, Doellner was reportedly exhausted from the journey and had even misplaced his voice. Nonetheless, he nonetheless travelled to Ingolstadt to deal with staff on the Audi manufacturing facility, talking in regards to the significance of the Components 1 programme for the model.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Crew
Photograph by: Mark Thompson / Getty Photographs
Throughout the assembly he additionally defined what had occurred with Hulkenberg’s automobile on the way in which to the grid and answered questions from staff in regards to the group’s first race weekend.
The upcoming race weekend may show simply as vital for Audi, with China representing the producer’s largest market.
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