Gabriel Bortoleto starts 19th at São Paulo GP after Audi part penalty By Carolina Costa
2 min read
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Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto will start 19th at the São Paulo Grand Prix, at Interlagos, after FIA stewards confirmed a 10-place grid penalty for his Audi. The decision came hours before the race on Sunday, November 8, 2026, which starts at 14h in Brasília.
The sanction follows a crash that Bortoleto suffered in qualifying on Saturday. Audi fitted his car with a sixth energy store and a sixth control electronics unit this season, while the limit is three of each per season. Under article B8.2.8b of the FIA regulations, each extra part carries a 5-place drop, which adds up to 10 places.
Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad, a 19-year-old Briton, received a similar sanction. The team replaced his internal combustion engine and turbocharger after he set the 12th fastest time, which pushes him from 12th to 18th on the grid.
Grid penalties reshuffle the order at Interlagos
The grid changed again just hours before the start, after the FIA confirmed the new penalties. Several drivers who changed engine parts lost many places, and the final order for the front of the field was still being checked when this story was prepared.
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- 18th: Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
- 19th: Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
- 20th: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- 21st: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
The FIA’s final grid was still pending in some reports checked for this story. The race starts at 14h, Brasília time, at the Autódromo de Interlagos, in São Paulo (SP).
