Gabriel Bortoleto was one of the day’s main highlights in Formula 1 after confirming that his future is tied to Audi for “many years.” The day also featured discussions about the next cycle of regulations, Mercedes’ projections for the title fight, and new details about the Sepang race to be held.
Bortoleto said his stay with Audi is already decided, although he did not reveal the length of the contract. The Brazilian has ten points after 11 rounds, with three top-10 results, and sits 14th in the World Championship. “I have a long path ahead with them, it will be many years, and I hope that we can win many races and achieve great milestones together in the future,” he stated.
Stefano Domenicali revealed that the category is weighing two options for the technical regulations after the current cycle. F1 could keep the rules until 2031 and then adopt a completely new package, or accelerate changes if teams and manufacturers reach a consensus. The official hopes a direction will be defined by the end of the season.
In the fight for the championships, Mercedes foresees a more intense scenario after the summer break. The team leads the constructors’ standings with a 72-point advantage over Ferrari, while Kimi Antonelli has a 50-point gap over Lewis Hamilton. Technical director Simone Resta assessed that the rising pressure could reveal which teams can maintain performance when results carry even more weight.
A Aston Martin também permaneceu em evidência após as 16 novidades introduzidas no GP da Hungria. A equipe rejeitou a avaliação de Carlos Sainz de que passou a ter o melhor chassi do pelotão intermediário, mas confirmou que o novo pacote tornou o AMR26 mais leve, aumentou a carga aerodinâmica e cumpriu o objetivo de recolocar a equipe em condições de competir. Novas melhorias estão previstas para o GP da Holanda.
Finally, Sepang clarified that the Bahrain-moved race will be held in the afternoon, not at night. The doubt arose after the official Formula 1 app displayed a night schedule, but the circuit organizers confirmed that the information was incorrect. The event will mark Malaysia’s return to the calendar for the first time since 2017.
