P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Gabriel Bortoleto has been handed a five-place grid drop for Qatar after his Lap 1 collision with Lance Stroll at F1 Las Vegas GP.
Gabriel Bortoleto received a five-place grid drop for the Qatar GP due to his Lap 1 collision with Lance Stroll at Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Despite hoping to redeem himself after a turbulent home race in Brazil, starting from 18th led to another challenging race for the Sauber driver. The 21-year-old rookie’s attempt to gain positions resulted in a misjudged braking maneuver, causing a collision with Stroll’s Aston Martin at Turn 1. Several cars were affected, with Stroll’s AMR25 sustaining terminal damage. Bortoleto, deemed at fault for the incident, retired on the next lap and was issued a 10-second time penalty by stewards. Consequently, with the penalty unfulfilled during the race, he faces a five-place grid drop for the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix and has incurred two penalty points on his FIA superlicense. Stroll, attributing the clash to a racing incident, emphasized the nature of such occurrences in motorsport, while Bortoleto accepted responsibility for the mishap, acknowledging his misjudgment and expressing regret for the incident.
