Audi’s ‘terrible’ headache has no quick fix

If it is accepted that Ferrari has the best starts in Formula 1 right now, few would argue that at the other end of the spectrum is Audi.In fact, so repeatedly poor are its getaways that Gabriel Bortoleto labelled them “terrible” after he and team-mate Nico Hulkenberg lost a combined 10 places from their grid positions on the opening lap in Japan.With all three grand prix weekends showing Audi’s starts to have been poor, it has become clear that its launch problems are not just a case of dialling out early teething troubles with the new cars. Amid no sign of obvious improvement, something more fundamental is clearly in play.As Hulkenberg said after the Japanese Grand Prix about a trend setting in: “It’s obviously a th …