Award-winning power

In the glamorous arena of world motorsport, it’s easy to get caught up in the spectacle, the daring race craft and the champagne celebrations. But behind every team and driver combination are the engineers and developers who work tirelessly to build and refine the machines that make it all possible.

Race Tech magazine’s World Motorsport Symposium recognises the efforts and the innovation of those experts who literally keep the wheels turning and ensuring they turn faster and faster. Back again in 2022 after a forced two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, this year’s World Motorsport Symposium brought together industry professionals to discuss all things on the technical side of motorsport and honour those who have advanced the technology that drives it.

This year’s underlying theme reflected the prevailing sentiment of sustainability, with the theme ‘Sustainable Motorsport 2030 – from race to road’ and brought leading industry experts together to discuss everything from sustainable fuels, the latest electrical technology, carbon neutral motorsport events and future materials. Held in London at the start of the month, It was also a chance to honour the efforts of those working on new, more efficient and sustainable technologies that will ensure the future of motorsport.

A jury of experts awarded prizes to the most important technical developments in the industry, with the Audi RS Q e-tron being named ‘Racecar Powertrain of the Year’. It was deserved recognition for the engineering team at Audi Sport for their tireless efforts on the hybrid electric drive which proved so successful in the toughest off-road test in motorsport. Further adding to the significance of the award was the calibre of the other nominees in the category which included Toyota for its Le Mans Hypercar, Mercedes for its Formula E drivetrain and Swindon Powertrain Ltd, for its British Touring Car Championship (BTTC) drivetrain.

“Winning this award and being able to accept it on behalf of Audi Sport in London was an emotional and incredibly special moment,” says Stefan Dreyer, who, as the Head of Development Audi Sport racing, is responsible for the development of the innovative drivetrain concept of the Audi RS Q e-tron. “The entire team can be proud of this award. The story from the creation of the energy converter concept during the development discussions to its realisation in the Dakar Rally vehicle remains unforgettable. The courage, focus, perseverance, but above all, the identification with this concept have paid off.”

The electric drivetrain with an energy converter used by the RS Q e-tron so successfully in the Dakar Rally, made possible the first victory of a prototype with an alternative drivetrain in a cross-country rally. Made up of an internal combustion engine developed in DTM and a generator, as well as a high-voltage battery and an electric motor on each axle, it has proved not only powerful and efficient, but robust and reliable under the most trying conditions.

That powertrain will once again provide the drive for the three RS Q e-trons competing in the coming Dakar campaign, the 2023 version having been further refined to accept sustainable fuel which will offer up to a 60 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. 

It is testament to the brand’s engineering prowess, an area which is also working overtime on the coming Formula 1 assault to kick-off in 2026. Working with partner, Sauber, Audi Sport will provide the powerplants to take on the top category of world motorsport – the first time Audi has competed in Formula 1 since the Auto Union days of the 1930s.