Audi's power unit loses straight-line grunt in extreme heat, and Singapore's sweltering conditions exposed the problem again. Both Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto confirmed the team is bleeding outright engine power when temperatures spike—not struggling with cooling trade-offs, just raw horsepower. Hülkenberg kept expectations low for the weekend. Bortoleto called it their biggest limitation but backed the Neuburg engineers to solve it, pointing to Audi's dominant engine programs in DTM and at Le Mans. "They build the best engines," he said, urging patience in Year One. Better news on the aero front: the major Baku upgrade package, questioned after a rough street-circuit debut, has been validated through Malaysia testing. Entry, mid-corner, exit—gains across the board. Hülkenberg said the understanding is there, though no miracle lap time remains hidden. The path forward is clear: fix the heat sensitivity before Miami, Austin, and Vegas roll around again.
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