Audi's Bortoleto disqualified from Miami sprint for engine breach
Audi’s sole car in Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix sprint race has been disqualified for an engine technical infringement.
Gabriel Bortoleto finished 11th in Saturday’s race after Audi team-mate Nico Hulkenberg failed to take the start because of a mechanical failure.
Hulkenberg’s issue had already made it the third time in five events – three grands prix and two sprint races – that an Audi driver has not been able to take the start due to engine problems.
Bortoleto has been disqualified though because his engine’s intake air pressure exceeded the maximum permitted limit.
Audi accepted that the FIA measured the pressure to be above 4.8barA but argued in mitigation this happened over one lap when temperatures rose higher than expected.
The team then “took steps to bring the car back in compliance” which the FIA stewards recognised but ruled the car must be in compliance at all times, and it was not.
Therefore the black-and-white stance on technical infringements was retained and Bortoleto was disqualified.
Bortoleto then sat out the start of qualifying for the grand prix, with his car dismantled in the Audi garage, in the wake of the sprint issue, though Hulkenberg was at least ready to participate in the next session.
Updated Miami sprint result
1 Lando Norris (McLaren)
2 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +3.766s
3 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +6.251s
4 George Russell (Mercedes) +12.951s
5 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +13.639s
6 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +13.777s
7 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +21.665s
8 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +30.525s
9 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +35.346s
10 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +36.970s
11 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +56.972s
12 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +57.365s
13 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +58.504s
14 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +59.358s
15 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1m16.097s
16 Sergio Perez (Cadillac) +1m16.691s
17 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1m17.626s
18 Alex Albon (Williams) +1m28.173s
19 Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) +1m29.597s
DNS Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
DNS Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
DSQ Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
