Bortoleto disqualified from Miami Sprint over technical breach

F1’s stewards have disqualified Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto from the Miami Sprint due to a technical violation that was picked up on his car post-race.

Bortoleto finished Saturday’s 100-kilometre event in 11th position, but he has now been excluded from the results over an engine intake air pressure violation.

During standard post-Sprint technical checks, the pressure within Bortoleto’s Audi was found to have exceeded the maximum limit of 4.8 barA – breaching Article C5.3.2 of the FIA F1 Technical Regulations.

The matter was subsequently noted by FIA Formula 1 Technical Delegate Jo Bauer and sent to the stewards, who handed out the disqualification.

The relevant section of the technical rulebook makes clear: “Engine intake air pressure must be less than 4.8 barA at all times.

“The pressure of the air will be measured by two FIA approved and sealed devices through which all air destined for combustion must flow.

“These devices must be installed in FIA approved locations situated in the engine intake air system downstream of the charge air cooling system.”

Bortoleto’s disqualification adds to an already challenging Sprint for Audi, who lost Nico Hulkenberg before the start of the race when his car caught fire during the reconnaissance laps.

“The stewards heard from the team representatives of Car 5. They admitted that the Technical Delegate’s finding was correct,” read the panel’s decision document.

“However, in mitigation, they explained that this happened over one lap, when the temperatures rose higher than they had expected. As soon as that became apparent, they took steps to bring the pressure back in line with the regulations.

“While the fact that they took steps to bring the car back in compliance is recognised, the regulations make it clear that the car needs to be in compliance ‘at all times’, which it was not.

“Given that this is a technical infringement, the usual penalty of a disqualification of Car 5 from the Sprint classification was applied.”