Audi might not be topping the leaderboard in their first-ever Formula 1 season as an engine manufacturer, but one top insider is already calling them the “champions of the midfield.” The buzz is building around the German outfit, formerly known as Sauber, after a surprising surge in performance that has fans and pundits alike taking notice.
According to BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson, speaking on the Chequered Flag Extra podcast, Audi has earned the title of “best-of-the-rest midfield champion” so far in 2026. He argued that despite sitting eighth in the constructors’ standings with just 12 points—10 of which came in the last three races—the team has overcome massive hurdles.
Benson pointed to the challenges of being a brand-new engine builder, reconstructing the entire squad, and dealing with early leadership instability. Team principal Jonathan Wheatley left at the start of the season, and Allan McNish stepped in to run the sporting side under Mattia Binotto. For Benson, that context makes Audi’s progress truly impressive.
“Just in terms of the context of them being a new engine manufacturer, reconstructing the team… they’ve had leadership instability,” Benson said. “It’s a tough call, but Audi just edge it for me.”
Not everyone was quick to agree. Longtime racer and commentator Alice Powell jokingly pushed back, saying she’d go with Racing Bulls instead. But even she admitted it’s hard to argue with Audi’s grit.
With two young drivers—Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto—starting to catch eyes, could this underdog story be the one to watch as the season heats up?
