Bortoleto rejects claim 2026 F1 cars have made fast drivers slow

Bortoleto dismisses the ‘driving style’ debate

Gabriel Bortoleto has rejected the suggestion that Formula 1’s 2026 regulations have made previously fast drivers slow, arguing that adaptability remains a fundamental part of the job.

Max Verstappen has described the experience as “Formula E on steroids”, while Lando Norris called the racing “chaos”. Esteban Ocon said he could not always drive the way he wanted, and Oscar Piastri compared the adjustment to “rewiring your brain”.

“I don't think I changed my way of driving much,” Bortoleto told media. “But I don't like the sentence ‘driving style’ because I don't believe that a Formula 1 driver should ever say that. We should be able to adapt, even if it's not natural.”

Energy management changes the lap

The Brazilian explained that the cars require more detailed decisions from corner to corner. Energy deployment can determine whether a driver pushes harder on entry or protects the exit for a long straight, rather than applying one consistent approach throughout a lap.

He used Spa-Francorchamps as an example, explaining that a corner without engine deployment could reward a wider, more aggressive entry because the car would not be exposed to the same acceleration demands on exit.

That does not mean the traditional slow-in, fast-out approach has disappeared entirely. Instead, Bortoleto sees the new generation as demanding greater variation and a willingness to adapt technique. He acknowledged that the process can be frustrating, but called that part of motorsport’s appeal.

‘It’s still racing’

Bortoleto also rejected the idea that the regulations have erased driver quality. He pointed to the continued competitiveness of Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Norris as evidence that established front-runners remain capable of delivering.

“Do you see Verstappen being slow?” he asked. “Do you see a seven-time world champion being slow this year? Do you see Leclerc being slow? I don't see them being slow.”

His assessment aligns with the wider picture of Audi’s emerging project, which Bortoleto has committed to for the long term. For the 21-year-old, the regulation shift has changed the demands—but not the hierarchy of driver ability.

“I don't think we have seen slow drivers last year becoming quick, and the quick guys slow; it's still racing,” he concluded.