Neel Jani is the first driver hired for Audi Motorsport’s Formula 1 team. But who is Neel Jani and what role will he play for Audi?
Neel Jani is a Swiss professional driver who has had stints in various fields of motorsport including Formula 1. Although he was never part of the Formula 1 grid throughout his career, he has been a reserve driver and 3rd driver for teams like Sauber F1 Team, Toro Rosso, and even Red Bull.
Since his career in Formula 1 never came to fruition, he seemed out of other ventures. He tried his hand at Champ Car Racing which also did not work out. He then moved out of the single-seat cars and moved on to WEC which hosts the Le Mans race.
Yes😱!Once more #LeMans24 proved its myth, you cannot win LM, LM let’s you win. Feel heartbroken for @Toyota_Hybrid 🙏 pic.twitter.com/68UV0a6rMa
— neel jani (@neeljani) June 20, 2016
His stint in WEC saw a bit more success than his single-seaters years. He joined the LPM1 Porsche Team in 2014. With Porsche, he won 4 races including the 24-hour Le Mans race in 2016. This is his greatest achievement so far in motorsport.
In 2019, he became a Formula E driver for TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. However, he did not have much success here either. His stint with the team lasted only for 1 season where he scored 8 points placing him 20th in the WDC.
Neel Jani joined the Audi F1 team in June 2023, but he will not be on the grid for the 2026 season.
What role will Neel Jani play at Audi Motorsport?
Neel Jani has a good relationship with the Volkswagen Group. The Volkswagen Group also owns Audi Motorsport. Through this connection, Neel Jani was able to get a role with Audi’s F1 team.
Neel Jani will fill the role of Simulator Driver for Audi Motorsport. As the Simulator driver, the team will be largely dependent on him to provide feedback on the simulator settings for the car. He will be responsible for the power unit and car development for the 2026 contender.
🚨 News🚨
Super excited to say that I am joining Audi on their road to Formula 1 helping with the development of their new Formula 1 power unit! They were for years well respected competitors in @FIAWEC but now we are in the same boat😊🤩 https://t.co/AmCMZWZOkj— neel jani (@neeljani) June 22, 2023
The Simulator plays a huge role in modern Formula 1. This technology is used by all teams and Formula 1 as well. The simulator is used to test upgrade packages, different setups, and much more to identify how the car will behave with certain changes. Formula 1 uses the simulator to test how to go forward with regulation changes for the upcoming season. F1 utilized over 7500 simulations to develop the 2022 regulation changes.
Audi Motorsport is hoping to fight for the Championship right away as they make their debut in 2026. For this to happen, they will need to completely focus on developing the car and engine in accordance with the 2026 regulations. They will also need a good and reliable driver on the team to make this happen.
🗞 Carlos to Audi in 2026?
Rumours released by the Swiss newspaper Blick stated that CEO Andreas Seidl’s first choice for a seat at Audi in 2026 would be Sebastian Vettel. However, if getting Vettel won’t work, it’s said that Seidl would turn to Carlos Sainz for the Audi seat. pic.twitter.com/zTx7zMRZiR
— Carlos Sainz News (@CSainzNews_) May 14, 2023
The 2026 regulations remove a major component of the power unit. The MGU-H will no longer be a part of the Formula 1 car from the 2026 season. This makes the engine far less complicated and cheaper to develop. This is the main reason Audi, Ford, and Honda have decided to enter the sport once again in 2026.
Neel Jani will be under a lot of pressure for the next 3 years to develop the car and engine. His experience with various teams and cars will give him an edge over other drivers. Since Audi is not a part of the current grid, they can put in more time and focus for the 2026 contender. Let us see how Neel Jani helps Audi Motorsport to develop the car.
