Gabriel Bortoleto has expressed his excitement at having the opportunity to score points in Audi’s first race as a works team, with the Brazilian driver crossing the line in P9 in Australia.
Bortoleto was firmly in the mix for a points finish across the weekend, achieving a superb start for Audi as he reached the final segment of Qualifying. Although he was unable to take part due to a technical issue, his performance throughout the session marked a strong start for the new squad.
He lost some positions at the start of the 58-lap race but remained patient and progressed back through the field, pulling off crucial overtakes on Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly to secure ninth place.
Asked about his feelings following his sixth Grand Prix points finish, he responded: “Yeah, it’s incredible. I’m extremely happy and the team deserves it.
“A lot of hard work has been put in. Reliable car, reliable engine – a great point to start.”
After taking over the Sauber team, Audi built their own power unit to fulfil the new regulations, which the whole team are still trying to optimise during the competitive sessions.
They proved that they can fight closely with other midfield teams like Haas, with Bortoleto gradually reeling in the Haas of Ollie Bearman in the latter stages of the race before running out of time to execute a pass.
He shared that the steep learning curve experienced by himself and all the other drivers led to a “very messy” race, adding: “From the start to the end, a lot of things were happening, a lot of new things. It was quite an interesting one but it was enjoyable.”
