Gabriel Bortoleto gained prominence again this Monday after scoring points for the second consecutive GP in Formula 1. The Brazilian stated that Audi’s performance in its debut season exceeded the paddock’s expectations and showed confidence in the team’s future.
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Bortoleto finished the Belgian GP in eighth, reached ten points, and remains responsible for all of Audi’s points in the championship. “If we already started this way, I am sure that in the coming years we will be fighting for great things,” said the driver, who has already finished three 2026 races in the top ten.
The operation of the new power units also dominated the news. Oscar Piastri criticized the influence of electronic systems on performance and described as “a really horrible way to race” the possibility of the starting grid being decided by energy management, while Toto Wolff stated that Mercedes currently has the most powerful engine in the category.
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Within Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli’s victory at Spa increased the pressure on George Russell. The Briton retired on the first lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton, dropped to third in the championship, and is now 50 points behind his teammate, a scenario that has already raised questions about his chances of fighting for the title.
Off the track, the Bahrain GP was ruled out as an option for early October, leaving the final part of the calendar undefined after the escalation of tensions in the Middle East. F1 now prepares for the Hungarian GP, scheduled for next weekend at the Hungaroring, the last round before the European summer break.
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