Huge surprise in the paddock: the FIA has just announced the disqualification of a driver from the Sprint!
If Formula 1 was looking for surprises and drama with this new regulation… calm is definitely not on the agenda right now in the world of the Circus.
Just look at what happened today: the hierarchy that saw Mercedes dominating up to the Japanese Grand Prix has been shaken up, with grid penalties (for Arvid Lindblad and Alexander Albon), drivers who didn’t even start the Sprint, and post-race penalties.
It was expected that Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s penalty would be the only one… but instead, the biggest blow has now arrived: a disqualification, the harshest penalty available in Formula 1.
Disqualification after the Sprint: shock in the paddock!
We kept you waiting until now, but it’s time to reveal it (especially for our Fantasy managers on GPK Games): the disqualification hits Gabriel Bortoleto, the Brazilian Audi talent, who had finished the Sprint in eleventh position and now loses both his result and any points.
The reason is technical: the air pressure at the engine intake exceeded the maximum limit allowed by the regulations. A breach that leaves no room for interpretation: the FIA does not forgive, and the disqualification was immediate once the data reached the stewards.
A massive blow for Audi, whose day has turned into a nightmare in just a few hours: first Nico Hulkenberg’s fiery retirement during the reconnaissance lap, then Bortoleto’s post-race disqualification. Zero points, zero results, and many questions about the reliability and technical compliance of the Ingolstadt car.
Photo: Formula 1, Audi
