Audi has hired Swiss racing professional Neel Jani as its new sim driver as they take the next step in developing a power unit for their Formula 1 project. Jani, 39, was a test and reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and, as a member of the Porsche factory team, won the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as the famous 24-hour race at Le Mans.
German brand Audi announced last summer that it would enter F1 from 2026, when the new regulations come in, and build its own power unit. They soon reached an agreement to take over the Sauber work team, currently Alfa Romeo, for their entry.
Much preparation has gone into the project, with Andreas Seidl leaving McLaren in December to join as Sauber’s new CEO, while former McLaren technical director James Key will join the team in September.
Jani, who has also driven in GP2 and Formula E, will now have his own important role to play for Audi as he supports power unit development with his vast experience. In parallel, he is also running a dynamic driving simulator upgrade for work on the F1 hybrid powertrain at Audi’s Neuberg site.
“I am delighted to accompany Audi on its way to Formula 1,” said Jani. “It is an honor and a great responsibility to be involved in a project of this magnitude at an early stage.
“I am sure that with my experience in Formula 1 and in projects [de autos deportivos] I can forge good links between theory and practice.”
Oliver Hoffman, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at Audi AG, added: “As in production development, simulation plays an important role in our Formula 1 project.
“Our simulator is an important tool for power unit development. It requires a development driver who, in addition to a knowledge of the technology, brings versatile experience to the project, especially in terms of energy management under race conditions.”
Audi has also stated that, since the end of 2022, tests of a single-cylinder engine have yielded “valuable results” for power unit development. The manufacturer added that the ongoing concept phase is laying the groundwork for the power unit by 2026, when new regulations will provide for further electrification.
Source: Formula 1
2023-06-23 21:29:06
#Neel #Jani #Audis #simulator #driver
