Ahead of the 2026 Hungarian GP, Gabriel Bortoleto gave a verbal confirmation to the media that he will be racing for Audi Motorsport for the foreseeable future. Having made its debut this year, the team has made an impressive start to the 2026 season, already fighting for points. The team is looking to find more success in the future, and they want Bortoleto to play an important role in that success.
“My future is already sorted with Audi,” ↗︎said Bortoleto ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix when asked about his 2027 situation.
“I am there for many years, let’s put it this way.
“I cannot say the length of the contract, and I leave it to them if they want to make it public. I really don’t mind, it’s up to them, their decision.
“But what I can tell you I have a long way [ahead] with them, it’s going to be many years, and hopefully we can conquer many great wins and things in the future together.”
Having joined the team last year, Gabriel Bortoleto has put one quite a few impressive performances so far. If given a strong car, there is no doubt that he will do everything he can to get on top of the podium race-after-race. So the question is when.
When can Audi give Gabriel Bortoleto the chance at race wins?
Right now, Audi is a competitive midfield team, in contention to score points in every race. But we can be sure that that's not where the team intends to be in the long run. They need to develop the car to fight for the Championship.
In a ↗︎recent interview, Audi F1's leading man, Mattia Binotto said: “We’ve set an objective of 2030, so our objective is to aim for a championship fight in 2030. It may seem very far away, very distant, but, as a matter of fact, if you look at the gaps I was mentioning, it will take a long time. Certainly, 2030 is coming very soon."
Audi vs Racing Bulls
While 2030 does seem far of as we stand today, it does seem like a realistic timeline for Audi F1 to be in the Championship fight. However, there could be a few opportunities to take a leap ahead in the coming years during the regulation changes. We know there could be one coming in 2028, so that could provide a window for the team.
Who will be Gabriel Bortoleto's teammate in the long run?
As it stands, German veteran driver, Nico Hulkenberg drives alongside Bortoleto. He is guaranteed to be with the team until the end of this year. If the whispers around the paddock are true, he will most likely remain with the team for the 2027 season as well. However, Audi may have to look elsewhere for the 2028 season.
Carlos Sainz Jr. is one driver who has strong links with Audi through his father, Carlos Sainz Sr, who drove for Audi Motorsport at the Dakar Rally from 2022 to 2024. We also know that Sainz Jr. was in negotiation with Audi F1, then Sauber, ahead of the 2025 season. These talks could continue next year if Hulkenberg or the team decides to end their partnership for any reason.
Audi will also have eyes on certain young drivers such as Oliver Bearman, Oscar Piastri and Arvid Lindblad. All of these drivers have shown impressive pace in their respective teams and could be an asset to a team like Audi. However, the team may lean towards a more experienced driver such as Sainz.
It will be interesting to see what decisions Audi makes in the coming years. Do you think Audi can compete for a Championship in 2030?
