Gabriel Bortoleto has backed Audi’s appeal against the decision not to penalise Yuki Tsunoda at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, arguing that the Formula 1 regulations clearly required the Racing Bulls driver to restart from the pit lane after an additional formation lap was ordered at Monza.
The dispute centres on the restart procedure following last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix interruption. Yuki Tsunoda had positioned himself incorrectly within his grid slot, prompting Race Control to order another formation lap. Despite the incident, the Japanese driver was not penalised and was allowed to take his place on the grid for the restart.
Gabriel Bortoleto explains Audi appeal over Yuki Tsunoda decision
Audi subsequently decided to formally challenge the stewards’ decision. During Thursday’s Media Day ahead of the Madrid Grand Prix, Gabriel Bortoleto explained the reasoning behind the team’s position and maintained that the sporting regulations had been breached.
According to Audi’s interpretation, the Racing Bulls should have been required to enter the pit lane before the restart, rather than allowing Yuki Tsunoda to take his normal grid position in 17th place.
Tsunoda then recovered through the field to finish tenth, securing the final available championship point. That result left Bortoleto and Audi outside the points after the Brazilian spent much of the race fighting towards the lower end of the midfield.
For Audi, the difference is significant even though only a single point is potentially at stake. Every result contributes to the Formula 1 championship standings, and Bortoleto believes the regulations should be applied consistently regardless of the size of the reward involved.
Bortoleto: “The regulations are pretty clear”
Speaking during the FIA press conference in Madrid on Thursday, Bortoleto made Audi’s position clear and argued that Tsunoda should have been required to start from the pit lane after the extra formation lap.
“I think the regulations are pretty clear,” Bortoleto said. “When a driver causes an extra formation lap, he has to start from the pit lane and, in that case, Yuki didn’t do that.”
The Brazilian believes that interpretation is the central reason behind Audi’s decision to challenge the original ruling.
“I think that’s why Audi is appealing,” Bortoleto continued. “We are contesting the results. You know, for us, if we get the position, it counts as one point, so every point is important and, at the end of the day, what is right is right.”
A single Monza point remains at the centre of Audi’s challenge
The appeal therefore has a direct sporting consequence for Audi. If the team succeeds in overturning the decision and the classification changes accordingly, Bortoleto could potentially inherit the final points-scoring position from the Italian Grand Prix.
For the Brazilian driver, however, the issue goes beyond the value of a single point. His argument is that the procedure surrounding an additional formation lap is clearly defined and should therefore have been applied to Tsunoda during the Monza restart.
Audi’s challenge now places the interpretation of that restart procedure under renewed scrutiny as the Formula 1 paddock turns its attention to the Madrid Grand Prix.
Leave a Reply