Formula 1 had another important chapter for Gabriel Bortoleto at the 2026 Japanese GP, with the Brazilian acknowledging performance difficulties after finishing the race outside the points zone. Even so, the driver highlighted positive points and already projected adjustments for the next stages.
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The Audi competitor mainly pointed to the performance difference compared to direct rivals as a decisive factor. According to him, the car showed good behavior in specific sections, but still lacks evolution in important areas.
“Compared to the cars that were fighting with us, we were better in the corners, but on the straights we had difficulty. So much so that I was overtaken quite a bit,” the driver stated after the race in Suzuka.
Despite the limitations, Bortoleto demonstrated satisfaction with some aspects of the equipment. He highlighted the work done on the chassis as a positive point, reinforcing that there is a solid base for evolution throughout the season.
“I’m happy, honestly, with the car, with the chassis itself, everything went well,” the Brazilian added, indicating confidence in the team’s development potential.
Another point mentioned by the driver was the recurring difficulty at starts, a problem that had already been observed in previous stages. According to him, the team is still looking for solutions to improve this aspect.
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“The problem at the start has been there since Australia. I didn’t start in China, but Nico also lost some positions there. We are trying to adjust,” he explained.
Bortoleto reinforced that the team is aware of the current limitations and is working internally to correct them. “We know the problems we have and we are working to try to solve them. I wanted everything to be perfect, car, start, but it isn’t,” he said.
With the season continuing, the driver highlighted the importance of the time off the track to evolve technically. With no track sessions in the coming weeks, the focus will be on work at the factories.
“We will have time now to try to fix this. We are going to the factories in Germany and Switzerland to resolve it. On the track there isn’t much to do because, for now, there are no practices, but it will be good to go to the test bench to study,” he concluded.
The result in Japan reinforces Audi’s challenges at the start of this season, but also indicates clear paths for evolution for Bortoleto and his team in the next stages of Formula 1 2026.
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