Sao Paulo (AFP) - Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto asked for patience with Audi's Formula 1 project this Thursday, considering that the team needs time to consolidate before fighting for the top positions, although he was convinced that it will end up being competitive.
First modification: 05/11/2026 - 22:45
Bortoleto, who faces his second season in F1 at the age of 22, considers that 2027 should be a year of consolidation for Audi, a stage in which the team will have to reduce breakdowns and correct problems such as exits.
"We are here to build a solid project," said the driver before the press at the Interlagos circuit, where he will compete this weekend in his second Brazilian Grand Prix in F1.
"I think next year will still be a year of consolidation in the middle of the grid. I don't think we will be fighting at the front," he said.
The public objective of the project is to achieve full competitiveness in 2030, although Bortoleto assured that within the team they are working to achieve it sooner.
For this weekend, Audi's goal is to "score points", according to the Brazilian, who believes that the changing weather at Interlagos can open opportunities for a better classification.
Bortoleto, who suffered an accident in last year's edition, admitted that he needs to manage his emotions better when racing at home.
"I think last year my emotions took a little too much control," he explained.
He recalled that he made impulsive decisions, including an overtake in the sprint race that he considered possibly unnecessary and that ended up causing the accident.
Even so, he highlighted what it means to compete in front of his audience: "You only really understand what it means to race at home when you are about to get in the car, you put on your helmet and you hear the entire grandstand shouting and cheering you on."
The driver from Osasco, in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, also defended the need to make motorsports more accessible in Brazil, where the increase in the costs of karting and categories such as Formula 3 and Formula 2 makes the path to the elite difficult.
"It is very important to show the new generation that, even with all the difficulties of our countries, we can reach the highest level of sport," he said.
Bortoleto hopes that the presence of two Brazilians on the grid will encourage more companies to support young drivers.
© 2026 AFP
The content you requested does not exist or is no longer available.
