Stewards explain Bortoleto penalty for Sainz collision

F1 / NEWS & CONTEXTNEWS & CONTEXT

Archive photograph: Gabriel Bortoleto · Belgian Grand Prix, Spa 2026 · official Audi team archive · 2026-07-19Archive photo · 2026-07-19 · Audi Revolut F1 Team · Editorial use · Audi

The stewards gave Gabriel Bortoleto a ten-second penalty and held him wholly responsible for his Turn 2 collision with Carlos Sainz. The final classification lists Sainz 17th and Bortoleto 18th.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · 04 Oct 2026, 12:45 · 1 min

Gabriel Bortoleto received a ten-second time penalty after the stewards ruled that he caused a collision with Carlos Sainz at Turn 2. They said they reviewed video and in-car footage.

The stewards said Bortoleto attempted to pass on the inside but did not have his front axle alongside Sainz’s mirror before the apex. They found that he failed to maintain the inside line and moved towards Sainz, who had left sufficient space; contact followed. The stewards concluded Bortoleto was not in full control of the manoeuvre and was wholly to blame.

Although the collision happened shortly after a restart, the stewards said the circumstances normally associated with a first-lap restart incident were absent, so they did not consider a more lenient approach appropriate.

The final classification lists Sainz 17th and Bortoleto 18th.

Sources 02

PRIMARY SOURCEDoc 52 - Infringement - Car 5 - Causing a collision with Car 55FIA F1 decision documents
PRIMARY SOURCEDoc 60 - Final Race ClassificationFIA F1 decision documents

Source context

The stewards’ decision notes that certain rulings may be appealed within applicable time limits; it does not state whether an appeal was filed. The final classification lists Sainz 17th and Bortoleto 18th, but does not establish what either driver’s position would have been without the penalty.