Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto has rejected the notion that the 2026 Formula 1 regulations have diminished the impact of elite drivers. He argues that the sport’s leading names remain competitive because adaptation is a fundamental requirement of the job.
The current technical rules, introduced this season, have been met with criticism from several drivers. The new power units feature a near 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical energy, significantly altering the driving approach.
Drivers including Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri have voiced concerns over the complex energy management. Piastri has compared the process to ‘rewiring your brain’, while Norris has described the racing as ‘chaos’.
Bortoleto, however, insists any F1 driver should be able to adjust, even if the required technique feels unnatural. He has pushed back against the idea that a specific ‘driving style’ is now required to be fast, a term he dislikes.
‘I don’t believe that a Formula 1 driver should ever say that, because we should be able to adapt, even if it’s not natural. That’s why we do what we do, and that’s why we are the 22 drivers in the world doing Formula 1.’
To support his point, Bortoleto highlighted the continued high performance of the grid’s established stars. He questioned the narrative that top drivers have been slowed by the new generation of cars.
‘Do you see Verstappen being slow? Do you see a seven-time world champion being slow this year? Do you see Leclerc being slow?’ Bortoleto stated to the media. He believes the evidence shows they are all still highly competitive.
The Brazilian, who has scored all ten of the new Audi works team’s points this season, suggests it is time for the paddock to move on from the debate. He noted that the cars are still extremely fast through high-speed corners.
‘These are the regulations that we are living in right now, and if there are still people complaining about it, just move the page,’ Bortoleto commented. He stated the rules are in place until 2030 and the focus should be on the present.
