Gabriel Bortoleto played an unusual role in the Spanish Grand Prix. The young Brazilian made a set of hard tyres last almost the entire race, a strategy that sparked a joke from Audi racing director Allan McNish. "He's actually got a new job. He's on endurance development for Pirelli now to see whether they can do two race distances, not just one," McNish quipped to select media after the race.
The joke came after Bortoleto effectively acted as a roadblock for rivals behind him. His task was clear: hold up the cars behind so his teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, could hunt down the top ten. The plan worked. Hulkenberg finished 10th to secure the final point, albeit a lap down on race winner Kimi Antonelli. Bortoleto, meanwhile, had to settle for 13th, three places behind his teammate.
McNish insisted that the team did not intentionally use Bortoleto to block. "That's not the game we play. You saw with Bortoleto, when Colapinto had a run, it was free and open on the left-hand side. There was nothing there," he explained. However, he admitted that both cars worked as one unit, and the strategy was designed to support each other. "We certainly lent on that," he added.
For Audi, the result in Madrid was an important addition. The German manufacturer now has 17 points and sits eighth in the constructors' standings, just one point behind Haas. Hulkenberg's point was crucial amid the tight midfield battle, where every point can determine the final standings.
Nevertheless, McNish did not deny that the Audi car still needs improvement. He pointed out that the last significant upgrade package arrived in Austria, and since then rivals have moved forward. "We had some small details since then, but in reality, it was Austria, and we do need to keep pace, especially as you can see some of the race pace of, like, Gasly, for example, was very strong in Madrid, and also his pole position in Monza was bloody impressive," he said.
McNish stressed the importance of continuous development to maintain position in the standings. "We do need to start to bring things to the car to be able to keep the position. I can't tell you any more than that," he concluded. This statement signals that Audi is aware of the pressure from rivals who are constantly improving.
On the other hand, Bortoleto's performance in Spain demonstrated his flexibility and discipline as a rookie driver. Even though he had to sacrifice his own position, he proved to be a reliable team player. His ability to manage hard tyres for almost the entire race was also noteworthy, perhaps prompting McNish's joke about his 'new job' as a tyre tester.
With competition intensifying, Audi must ensure car development stays on track. Otherwise, their top-eight position could be threatened. But at least in Madrid, teamwork and clever strategy paid off.
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