The Interlagos weekend left deep scars for Sauber, not only from a sporting perspective but also, and above all, from a financial one. Gabriel Bortoleto’s terrible 76G crash during the Sprint Race at the Brazilian Grand Prix ended up costing the Swiss team an eye-watering amount.
Sauber completed an incredible rebuild to allow Gabriel Bortoleto to start the race
According to reports from FormulaDirecta, the Hinwil-based team was forced to rebuild the Brazilian driver’s car almost from scratch, replacing a large portion of its structural components. The crash happened just before Turn 1, at one of the fastest points on the circuit. The dynamics were as simple as they were devastating: the DRS allegedly remained open, preventing Gabriel Bortoleto from keeping control of the car. What followed was a violent impact that destroyed the front chassis, compromised the rear end, and damaged several homologated elements.
For Gabriel Bortoleto, what should have been a special weekend—his first-ever home Grand Prix—turned into a nightmare. After the huge Sprint crash, which had already ruled him out of qualifying, Sunday brought another moment to forget when he made contact with Lance Stroll and ended up in the barriers once again.
Shock figure for repairs: here’s what the crash really cost
The incident cost Sauber more than $2,359,000 in damage, a figure that illustrates the violence of the impact better than any image could. Despite the scale of the destruction, the team impressed with its incredibly fast reaction: within a very short time, Sauber’s mechanics reassembled the car and almost managed to have it ready for qualifying.
It was a monumental effort, one that showcased the professionalism and commitment of the team. But even such a heroic rebuild could not erase the heavy financial consequences of the crash.
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