Audi name 'top priority' after 'terrible' driver feedback

Audi boss Mattia Binotto has named the "top priority" for the team during the April break after "terrible" feedback from Gabriel Bortoleto.

After again losing places at the start of the Japanese GP, Brazilian racer Bortoleto branded Audi's launch and start sequences as "terrible" as the new power unit manufacturer gets up to speed in its first season.

Bortoleto has banked Audi's only points of the season so far, a ninth place in Australia, with his new boss, Binotto, who replaced Jonathan Wheatley after his resignation last month. 

Owing to the condensed nature of testing in January and February and the opening three races all before the end of March, teams have not had the opportunity to develop a big upgrade package and address weaknesses in their cars.

Implementing a fix during the April break in time for F1's return at the Miami GP, what Binotto called a "top priority" for a team only "reactive" and not proactive.

"Starts are certainly not one of our strengths at the moment, and the reason it has not been addressed so far is because it is not an obvious thing to be fixed," Binotto told media, including RacingNews365. 

"But on the other side, it is a top priority for us because we had a good qualifying [in Japan], and you are losing all the positions on the start, so it is not worthwhile. 

"It is good for us that a couple of races have been cancelled because, as a team, we will have more time to reflect on the start of the season.

"It has been very reactive at the moment because, since winter testing as a brand-new team, there has been so much to learn, fixing reliability problems, and we've had no time to start thinking about developments.

"So that will be one of the focuses over the next few weeks to be better prepared for Miami."