Formula 1 had important news this Thursday before the debut of the Spanish GP at Madring, but Gabriel Bortoleto also returned to the spotlight due to an issue left over from Monza. Audi appealed to the FIA in the case involving Yuki Tsunoda and is seeking to recover a point for the Brazilian after the Italian GP. Bortoleto supported the team’s initiative and stated that, in his view, “the rules are clear.”
Read more F1: Hamilton and Leclerc make peace after controversy in Monza
At Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc tried to end the tension caused by the fierce battle between the two at the start of the race in Monza. The topic appeared in two articles published at the end of the day, with Hamilton confirming that he spoke with his teammate and the pair indicating that the controversy is behind them. Frédéric Vasseur also denied that the episode created an internal crisis within the team.
Max Verstappen, in turn, confirmed that he had serious talks with Mercedes and McLaren before renewing with Red Bull until the end of 2030. The four-time world champion explained that he considered the contacts respectfully but decided to stay because he believes in the team’s project and does not want to abandon the rebuilding after the drop in performance compared to the years of dominance.
The sporting focus is already on Madrid. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz highlighted the challenge of the new Madring before the first practice sessions, while Sainz stated that the drivers were impressed with the circuit. The debut of the layout also raised discussions about its characteristics, with Pierre Gasly warning of possible traps and other analyses pointing out areas of concern for accidents.
Read more F1: Alonso and Sainz highlight the challenge of the new Madring
The day also had sad news for Brazilian motorsport. Claudio Carsughi died at 93 after 27 days fighting a respiratory infection. Italian-Brazilian and a reference in sports journalism, Carsughi followed all F1 seasons since the first, in 1950, in addition to building a long career in radio, television, print media, and automotive journalism.
Thursday ended still with anticipation for the first official laps at Madring. The Spanish GP opens its track activities this Friday and will be the first real opportunity for teams and drivers to discover how the 2026 cars will behave on the new circuit in the Spanish capital.
Read more F1: Globo and Sportv broadcast Madring’s debut this weekend
