Gabriel Bortoleto ended this Wednesday as the fastest driver on the final day of Pirelli’s testing at the Hungaroring. Off the track, Formula 1 also had news about Brazil’s strong audience, the future of Max Verstappen, and the next steps for Aston Martin, Honda, McLaren, and Red Bull.
Bortoleto clocked 1min19s917 and completed 116 laps during the work focused on the 2027 tires. The Brazilian beat Franco Colapinto, who posted 1min20s139 after 139 laps, in a session featuring qualifying simulations and race pace, as well as asphalt temperatures reaching 59°C. In total, the two days of activity produced 660 laps and 2,892 kilometers of data for Pirelli.
Brazil also stood out for the audience numbers of the category. The British Grand Prix drew 18 million viewers across Globo and Sportv3 broadcasts, becoming the most-watched F1 race in a single global market since 2020. The return to Globo and Bortoleto’s presence on the grid were cited as important factors for growth, while the country already counts an estimated base of 71 million fans of the sport.
The future of Verstappen returned to center stage. While the Dutchman enjoyed holidays alongside Toto Wolff, Rachel Brookes, former presenter of Sky Sports, stated that she believes the four-time world champion “is looking for an exit” from Red Bull. For now, however, the driver remains tied to the team and no changes have been confirmed.
On the technical side, Aston Martin took to the track the updated Honda power unit during a day of filming at the Hungaroring. McLaren, for its part, approved the new concept of an active rear wing tested at the Hungarian GP and is preparing to use it in upcoming rounds. Red Bull decided to slow the pace of updates to the RB22 to redirect more resources toward the 2027 project.
The calendar also remained under focus. Stefano Domenicali confirmed that the season will end in Europe if the Middle East situation prevents the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix from taking place. The F1 intends to wait until mid-September before deciding whether a substitute event will be necessary, with Imola among the considered possibilities.
