Bortoleto apologises to Sainz after Bahrain Grand Prix collision

Gabriel Bortoleto accepted responsibility for colliding with Carlos Sainz and finished a rain-affected Bahrain race in 18th place.

Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto has accepted responsibility for his collision with Williams racer Carlos Sainz at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Brazilian attempted a move at Turn 2, but the inside line was still damp; his wheels locked and the two cars made contact.

The stewards handed Bortoleto a 10-second penalty. After the race, he apologised publicly to Sainz and acknowledged that he had misjudged the track conditions. The incident ended both drivers’ hopes of a stronger result, with Bortoleto classified 18th.

Bortoleto had qualified 10th and believed he had an opportunity to score points for the first time since the Belgian round in late July. He also reported problems with the car, but said those issues did not alter his assessment of his own mistake.

Rain made the opening phase difficult across the field. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the race, securing his first victory of the season after taking his first pole of 2026. Formula 1 next visits Singapore’s Marina Bay circuit on 11 October, where the event will stage a sprint for the first time.