Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto endured a heartbreaking home event after suffering DNFs in both the Sprint and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, calling it “one of the toughest weekends of my whole career.”
In the Sprint he suffered a high-speed crash while attempting to escape Alex Albon’s slipstream at Turn 1, finding the inside wall and being thrown back across the track into the barriers. The 57g impact left him uninjured, but the car was too badly damaged for the team to repair in time for Qualifying, forcing him to start the Grand Prix from the back of the grid.
At the race start Bortoleto made a strong getaway and had already gained positions when contact from Lance Stroll sent him into the barriers on the opening lap, ending his home race almost immediately. Over the radio he complained that the Aston Martin driver “turned into the corner like I wasn’t there,” and a Safety Car was deployed to recover his car.
Reflecting on the weekend, the 21-year-old said he was “very upset” because it was his first home race and his supporters, family and team had come to watch. He described the Sprint crash as possibly the biggest of his career and called the sequence of events—including not completing a single race lap after a promising start—deeply disappointing. He added that the incident felt like a racing incident and did not want to point fingers, noting that first-lap chaos can produce unavoidable contact.
Bortoleto also acknowledged the emotional toll on his fans and family, who were shown visibly disappointed during the broadcast. He thanked the supporters for their continued backing despite the weekend’s difficulties: “Thank you. Even throughout the difficult moments of this weekend, they have been there supporting, cheering, screaming my name… I cannot thank them enough. I hope I make them proud soon.”