Gabriel Bortoleto finished 12th at the Miami Grand Prix, delivering a strong recovery drive for Audi after a very difficult weekend for both himself and the team. The Brazilian driver showed solid race pace and good overtaking ability throughout the race, but ultimately missed out on the points despite a competitive stint from the back of the grid.
It was a frustrating weekend overall for Audi in Miami, as the team once again failed to secure points with either of its drivers following similarly difficult weekends in China and Japan. Among the two drivers, Nico Hülkenberg endured a particularly disappointing and difficult event, being forced to retire from both the Sprint race and the main Sunday Grand Prix due to technical problems.
The German driver was unable to complete either race, turning what was expected to be a challenging weekend into a completely disrupted one. Speaking briefly after the event, Hülkenberg summarized his frustration while already turning his attention to the next round of the championship, the Canadian Grand Prix scheduled from May 22 to May 24.
“Obviously this is not how we wanted to end the weekend. We had a technical issue and we were forced to retire, which is frustrating because the goal is always to fight until the end. Overall, it was a tough weekend. We will regroup, understand what happened and keep pushing. Perseverance is key: this effort will pay off and that is what we will focus on going forward,” said Nico Hülkenberg.
Gabriel Bortoleto also did not escape disappointment in Miami, despite showing encouraging pace during the race. The Brazilian was disqualified from the Sprint after a technical irregularity and then started the Grand Prix from near the back of the grid, following additional issues in qualifying, including a rear-end problem and a small fire incident that heavily affected his preparation.
In the main race, the 21-year-old delivered a strong recovery drive, climbing through the field with consistent pace and several well-executed overtakes. However, his comeback ended just outside the points, with a final 12th place finish.
“I think I had the pace to fight for points, but when you start last there’s not much you can do,” said Gabriel Bortoleto. “I was able to climb back through the field, I had good pace and some good moves, but I didn’t have enough time to overtake more cars. Considering I started last and finished 12th, I think it was a solid result. I am really proud of the team and the work they did to get the car on track yesterday, and we will keep going like this.”
Overall, while Audi’s Miami Grand Prix weekend ended without points, Gabriel Bortoleto’s recovery drive offered one of the few positives in an otherwise difficult event. The team will now focus on resolving reliability and operational issues ahead of the next races, aiming to convert potential pace into consistent points finishes.
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