Eight days of testing. The baptism of fire of the Audi RS Q e-tron in Spain has closed with good sensations. At least that is what slides from the German firm after the three days of testing that both Carlos Sainz and Stéphane Peterhansel have had in different locations in the province of Zaragoza, a scenario in which it has been sought extreme conditions of great heat. Mattias Ekström has also gotten into the Audi hybrid 4×4, although the Swede has only had two days of testing at his controls as he has less technical baggage than his new teammates for the Dakar 2022.
In fact, the first three days of tests on Aragonese soil were for Peterhansel with his new co-driver Edouard Boulanger. The Swede Ekström took over from the French for two days before giving the witness to Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz. The Spanish couple put the new Audi RS Q e-tron to the test on high-speed sections within a 17-kilometer route that had been designed by the Audi and Q Motorsport test team. The high temperatures also served to verify the effectiveness of the refrigeration systems. Between the three pilots they added more than 1,700 kilometers of tests.
Carlos Sainz has positively assessed this test: «I have had good feelings. More adjustments still need to be made, but the starting point is good. For a first test in suitable conditions for the car, I am happy with its behavior. I had a good vibe from the first moment. In this line, Arnau Niubó As Audi Development Engineer, he added: “This test has focused on riding as much as possible and thus detect the possible weak points of the car. The next test, in September, will take us to the dunes for the first time. It will be an important moment in the development of the car.