In an exclusive interview conducted at the Italian Grand Prix and published by the Italian publication Automoto.it on 18 September 2026, Mattia Binotto, Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal of the Audi Formula 1 team, offered a clear and measured assessment of driver talent on the current grid.
When asked directly whether there was any driver for whom he would go to extraordinary lengths to secure a signature, Binotto responded without hesitation: Max Verstappen. “He’s the absolute best right now, at least in my opinion,” the Italian executive stated.
The remark carries particular significance because of Binotto’s position. As the leader of Audi’s works Formula 1 project, with a stated target of competing for the world championship by 2030, he operates with both strategic authority and operational responsibility. His comments were made against a backdrop of consistent public satisfaction with the team’s existing pairing of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg.
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Binotto emphasised that the quality he values most is outright speed, independent of age or experience level. He noted that while observers frequently highlight the contrast between a younger driver and a more seasoned one, his own evaluation centres on pure pace and the high potential both drivers demonstrate on track. This focus, he explained, leaves him with no current incentive to explore alternatives.
Binotto also addressed prior interest in Carlos Sainz. He confirmed that Sainz had been among the drivers evaluated before the team settled on Bortoleto, but noted that the Spaniard ultimately chose a different path. The admission underscores that Audi conducted a deliberate selection process rather than simply filling seats, yet the final decision has been met with internal confidence.
Importantly, Binotto’s praise for Verstappen was not framed as a signal of dissatisfaction with his own roster. He has repeatedly separated admiration for elite talent from any implication that his drivers are under threat.
This measured stance aligns with earlier statements Binotto made on the official Formula 1 podcast Beyond the Grid in late May 2026. At that time, amid speculation surrounding Verstappen’s future at Red Bull Racing, Binotto firmly closed the door on any suggestion that Audi was positioned to pursue the four-time world champion.
He stated that the team was “not yet ready” to provide the competitive platform a driver of Verstappen’s calibre would require, and he reiterated long-term contractual commitments to Bortoleto and Hülkenberg. The September interview does not contradict that assessment; rather, it reflects a consistent philosophy in which recognition of excellence coexists with realistic self-appraisal of the organisation’s current capabilities.
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Beyond the specific naming of Verstappen, Binotto articulated a broader view of the relationship between driver and car. He observed that success ultimately depends on having the superior machine, yet the driver plays an instrumental role in its development. The two elements, in his judgment, are inseparable. Drawing on his extensive experience at Ferrari during the Michael Schumacher era, Binotto recalled how Schumacher’s influence extended far beyond pure driving ability.
The German champion, he said, possessed the capacity to elevate the entire organisation, helping to shape a car capable of winning. Work ethic, seriousness, dedication, motivation and passion were, in Binotto’s recollection, as important as natural talent.
He added that Schumacher was, in his view, even stronger as a person than as a driver, noting the champion’s generosity and attention to every individual within the team. In a related observation, Binotto suggested that Bortoleto’s own work ethic and human sensitivity evoke aspects of that same quality.
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These reflections illustrate Binotto’s long-term approach to team building. Audi’s project, which absorbed the former Sauber organisation, is still in a phase of foundational development. Binotto has described the current period as one of “sowing,” with the clear objective of harvesting competitiveness by the end of the decade.
The organisation is investing in infrastructure, personnel and technical direction, while maintaining a pragmatic outlook on short-term results. The presence of two drivers who deliver high-level performance provides stability during this growth phase and allows the technical group to focus on progressive improvement rather than reactive driver market activity.
Binotto’s willingness to identify Verstappen as the outstanding driver of the moment, while simultaneously defending the integrity and potential of his existing line-up, reflects both honesty and strategic discipline. It avoids the common pitfall of either inflating internal assets beyond their current standing or publicly undermining them in pursuit of external glamour.
Instead, the comments position Audi as an organisation that understands the hierarchy of talent, recognises the developmental role of elite drivers, and remains focused on constructing a competitive environment capable of attracting and retaining the very best when the timing is appropriate.
In the broader context of Formula 1’s driver market, such statements from a works team principal carry weight. They reinforce Verstappen’s standing among his peers and peers’ leaders, while also signalling that Audi’s ambition is genuine and methodically pursued.
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Binotto’s record—spanning decades at Ferrari in engineering and leadership roles, followed by the challenge of transforming a midfield team into a manufacturer’s works entry—lends authority to his evaluations. His comments are therefore best understood not as speculative interest but as a professional assessment grounded in experience, current performance data and a coherent long-term plan.
As Audi continues its trajectory toward 2030, the organisation’s leadership has made plain that the foundation is being laid with the drivers already under contract. Admiration for Verstappen remains unqualified; the readiness to pursue him remains conditional on the team’s ability to offer a platform worthy of his abilities.
That balance of realism and aspiration defines Binotto’s public posture and, by extension, the character of the Audi project itself.
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