Audi made its Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, with drivers Nico hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto unveiling the new Audi RS 5. It begins Sunday at 3 p. m. local time (11: 00 p. m. ET Saturday) and starts a long-term commitment toward competing for world championship titles from 2030 onward.
Hulkenberg and Bortoleto Unveil Audi RS 5 at Albert Park
On Thursday evening at the Albert Park Circuit, Nico hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto presented the Audi RS 5, unveiled just two weeks after its world premiere. The RS 5 is the first RS model with a hybrid drive, a technical parallel to the new generation of Formula 1 racing cars, whose power output is almost 50 percent electric.
Audi Tradition Brings Crocodile R8 and Allan McNish to Melbourne
A historic highlight arrived when Audi Tradition displayed the legendary Audi R8 with a crocodile design. That R8 won the “Race of a Thousand Years” in Adelaide on December 31, 2000, and one of the victorious drivers from that race, Allan McNish, was behind the wheel in Melbourne; McNish now heads the Audi Driver Development Programme.
AFLOAT Bar Hosts Guests, Brahimi and “Girls on Track” Networking
The team opened the AFLOAT bar on the Yarra River in central Melbourne as its public headquarters, and it has been operating since Thursday as a meeting place for guests and fans to watch sessions live. The venue features a show car version of the Audi R26 alongside attractions for visitors. High-profile guests included Australian surfer Stephanie Gilmore, and French-born chef Guillaume Brahimi will be cooking for guests in the Audi Trackside Suite opposite the pit lane exit this weekend.
To mark International Women’s Day on Sunday, Audi Australia hosted a networking lunch for “Girls on Track” ahead of the Grand Prix; several team members met with participants and shared experiences. The Audi Revolut F1 Team also supports the FIA initiative to promote motorsport careers for girls and young women by offering professional contacts.
The Australian Grand Prix will start on Sunday at 3 p. m. local time (11: 00 p. m. ET Saturday).
