Gabriel Bortoleto once again finished in the points zone in the Formula 1 season. At the Belgian GP held this Sunday (19), the Brazilian crossed the finish line in eighth place, adding four more points to the championship.
Read more F1: Antonelli wins the Belgian GP after duel with Leclerc; Bortoleto finishes eighth
At Spa-Francorchamps, the Audi driver had his best starting position of the season so far. After qualifying ninth, a penalty to Lando Norris moved him up to eighth.
In tire choice, Gabriel went like most competitors and started on medium. The race strategy is one stop and the pit-stop is expected to happen around lap 20.
Lights out and the race started in Belgium. Bortoleto lost two positions and dropped to tenth, recovered one and then began the chase on Franco Colapinto. At this start, a yellow flag was shown due to George Russell’s off-track excursion, who got stuck in the gravel trap – subsequently, safety car.
Race restarted on the fifth lap at Spa-Francorchamps and Bortoleto was in ninth place, but was soon overtaken by Norris. Then, Pierre Gasly also began to pressure the Brazilian for the last top-10 position.
Ten laps completed at Spa-Francorchamps and Gabriel was in 11th place after the Alpine Frenchman managed to get ahead of him. But the Audi driver managed to close in on the opponent ahead, close to returning to the points zone.
As the competitors were pitting, Bortoleto was moving up the track and was already in eighth place, while Nico Hülkenberg was ninth. But the Audi duo still needed to make their tire change.
On lap 18, then, a new safety car, but this time virtual. This would be a good opportunity to go to the pits for the change – but the green flag was quickly shown.
Two laps later, again a virtual safety car, but it was only for track cleaning and, therefore, the announcement was quickly withdrawn on the next lap.
At this moment, then, Audi called Bortoleto to make the pit-stop. They put on the hard tire and he returned in eighth.
With 26 laps completed in the Formula 1 Belgian GP, Bortoleto remained in eighth place just over 5.4 seconds behind Isack Hadjar, the Frenchman ahead of him. Meanwhile, he had a 4.3-second advantage over Arvid Lindblad, ninth.
With less than ten laps to the checkered flag, Gabriel managed to hold eighth position and keep Lindblad behind. Meanwhile, Norris, ahead of him, was more than 11 seconds ahead.
Checkered flag and Gabriel Bortoleto once again scored in the 2026 Formula 1 season by finishing eighth at the Belgian GP. Meanwhile, Hulkenberg was 13th.
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