Audi F1 suffer Miami nightmare after disqualification, qualifying fires and not starting race

Hulkenberg and Bortoleto in grey revolut F1 kit with R26 background — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix

Audi F1 suffer Miami nightmare after disqualification, qualifying fires and not starting race

Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto struggled on Saturday

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 3 May 2026 09:15

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Gabriel Bortoleto capped off a dismal Saturday at the Miami Grand Prix for Audi, after finishing qualifying in a puff of smoke.

The young Brazilian would likely have been itching to get out onto the track this weekend, after a five-week break from F1 caused by the cancellations of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix.

But it all unravelled for him on Saturday, and he was not able to finish ahead of any of his 21 rivals in either of the two competitive sessions, spending a long time looking on from the Audi garage.

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Bortoleto had earlier in the day been disqualified from the sprint race following an 11th-place finish on-track after an FIA inspection revealed that the engine intake air pressure on his car was over the maximum limit of 4.8barA.

Then, the word in the paddock was that Audi were not confident that they could alter this in order to make it legal for main race qualifying, and Bortoleto was watching on from the Audi garage, seemingly not set to make it out in time for the session.

But then Audi somehow managed to fix whatever problem they had with their car, and confused everybody by putting Bortoleto's car back together and getting him out on track with three minutes left in Q1.

He did not put in a time good enough to get out of Q1, however, and when he was on a cooldown lap following the session, there was smoke pouring from the back of his Audi. "My brakes are on fire man," Bortoleto exclaimed via team radio.

What a day!

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Hulkenberg's mixed fortunes

Bortoleto wasn't the only Audi driver facing problems during Saturday at the Miami International Autodrome.

German veteran Nico Hulkenberg had qualified up in 12th for the Miami sprint race, but was not able to take to his grid spot for the race.

During his lap to the grid pre-race, Hulkenberg's Audi burst into flames, with a power unit issue ending his participation in that race before it had even begun.

Audi were then in a race against time to get Hulkenberg's car ready for qualifying, and that was not helped by the fact they got the German's car back in the garage 45 minutes after the sprint race had finished, as per Sky Sports F1's Ted Kravitz.

Bortoleto's mechanics jumped to the other side of the garage to help with Hulkenberg's car, according to Kravitz, and they managed to fix his burned chassis and failed power unit in time to get him out in Q1.

Unlike Bortoleto, Hulkenberg did put in a time quick enough to get into Q2, and - barring any more problems - will start tomorrow's race from 11th. Bortoleto will start 22nd and plum last.

Bortoleto and Hulkenberg should be taking their mechanics out for a slap up meal in Miami after the day they've had, and following that, they will certainly sleep well tonight.