Binotto takes charge, demands ‘clean execution’ from Audi in Japan

The spotlight shifts sharply onto Mattia Binotto this weekend as Audi arrives at Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix – entering not just a new race, but a new chapter.

In the wake of Jonathan Wheatley’s sudden exit which was announced last week, Binotto steps into the role of de facto team principal for the first time.

The timing is far from gentle. Audi’s debut campaign has already been marked by flashes of promise, but also by operational missteps and reliability concerns that have repeatedly interrupted its momentum.

Against that backdrop, Binotto’s message is crisp, almost surgical in its clarity.

Clean execution above all

“As we head into the third round of the season in Suzuka, the focus is increasingly on clean execution,” he said.

The words carry extra weight given Audi’s turbulent opening rounds. While Gabriel Bortoleto managed to put points on the board in Melbourne, teammate Nico Hulkenberg failed to start the race while in China last time out, it was the Brazilian who was sidelined at the outset.

Binotto is under no illusion about the tightening competitive landscape.

“Everyone, us as well as our rivals, is getting on top of the new cars, so the margins for error become slimmer,” he added.

“We’ve seen encouraging signs in terms of pace over the first two races, but we understand there are areas where we can still improve – both in performance and execution.”

It’s a pointed acknowledgment: raw speed alone is meaningless without the discipline to convert it into results. And at Suzuka – a circuit that punishes even the smallest mistakes – that truth becomes even more unforgiving.

Fixing the foundations

Audi’s early-season narrative has been one of “what if.” Encouraging pace has surfaced in bursts, only to be undone by fragility. Reliability, not outright performance, has been the primary obstacle.

Binotto insists that work has been done behind the scenes to change that trajectory.

“We’ve taken time to address the reliability issues we faced previously, looking to ensure they won’t happen again and that both cars will be able to run their full races without disruption,” he said.

“The journey continues: the target now is to keep building, keep learning and make the most of every opportunity.”

• Read also: The ‘long conversation’ that may have led to Wheatley’s Audi exit

There’s a deliberate tone to his words – measured, forward-looking, and notably devoid of excuses. It reflects a team still in its infancy, but one being pushed toward structure and accountability under new leadership.

Suzuka, then, becomes more than just round three. It is a stress test for Audi’s reset: a chance to prove that lessons from Australia and Shanghai have not only been learned, but absorbed.

For Binotto, the equation is simple. Eliminate the noise, execute cleanly, and let the results follow. In a season already shaped by upheaval, that clarity may be Audi’s most valuable asset yet.

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