The Sleek New Audi RS5 Feels Right at Home Lapping COTA

The 2027 Audi RS5 is, according to my friend and colleague Joel Feder, “heavy, complicated, but somehow glorious”—or so he said in his in-depth review of Ingolstadt’s hot new thing. Much to my annoyance, I can’t validate these claims because I haven’t driven it, but while at the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix last weekend, I confirmed that it goes like stink, sounds like a hoot, and in the hands of a professional driver, it can blitz the Circuit of the Americas effortlessly.

My driver for the Pirelli Hot Lap was Carrie Schreiner, a young German racer who’s raced everything from open-wheel racers to endurance sports cars; most notably, she’s scored three consecutive top-three finishes in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, including a win in 2021. She also won the Zandvoort round of the Formula Academy in 2024 and, most recently, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, GT World Challenge Europe, and ADAC GT Masters. Carrie also serves as an Audi F1 Team ambassador, doing a bit of driving duty at events like this and creating cool video content around the track, which you can check out on the team’s Instagram.

Jerry Perez

The RS5 rocks a complex and heavy drivetrain, with a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 taking center stage, aided by a rear-mounted electric motor and a 22-kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor. All in, it produces 630 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque. Of course, it’s got quattro all-wheel-drive, so navigating those COTA esses was no problem for the RS5 or Carrie.

You’re better off watching the video below than reading my words—even if they’re beautiful—so give it a watch. Despite the Mercedes, McLarens, Ferraris, and Aston Martins we had to share the track with as part of the Hot Laps program being quicker, the Audi was the most approachable of the bunch, convenient (four doors), and likely the least expensive, too. So even though we were overtaken down the back straight by a few supercars, the RS5 would still be my overall choice.

If only I could drive one now…

Email the author at jerry@thedrive.com

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