Gabriel Bortoleto has been issued an 80-place grid penalty for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, marking the largest grid drop in Formula 1 history. The Audi driver accumulated the penalty due to multiple power unit component changes at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Bortoleto initially faced a 20-place grid penalty before qualifying. This was a result of Audi fitting his R26 car with a fourth Control Electronics unit and a fourth Energy Store. Formula 1 regulations permit only three of each component per season.
The 2026 FIA regulations stipulate specific allocations for power unit elements. Drivers are permitted four Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), four turbochargers (TC), three Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), three Energy Stores (ES), three Control Electronics (CE), and four exhaust sets (EX).
A 10-place grid penalty is applied for the first instance a driver exceeds the allocation for any power unit component. Subsequent breaches for the same component incur a five-place penalty.
Following the initial penalty, Audi introduced further new power unit components for Bortoleto’s car. These included a new ICE, turbocharger, exhaust set, MGU-K, and a power unit ancillary component. Additionally, another energy store and control electronics unit were fitted.
These subsequent changes contributed to the total 80-place accumulation for the weekend. The FIA stewards’ official decision, however, specified a ‘Drop of 60 grid positions for the next Race in which the driver participates.’
The stewards’ note cited breaches of Articles B8.2.2 and B8.2.3 of the FIA F1 Regulations. The penalty was imposed under Articles B8.2.8a and B8.2.8b.
Infringement: Breaches of Articles B8.2.2 (read with B8.2.3) of the FIA F1 Regulations. Decision: Drop of 60 grid positions for the next Race in which the driver participates.
Article B8.2.8b assigns a five-place grid penalty for additional Energy Store and Control Electronics Unit elements. Article B8.2.8a applies a 10-place penalty for additional Engine (ICE), Turbocharger (TC), Exhaust Set (EXH), MGU-K, and Power Unit Ancillary Component (PU-ANC) elements.
Formula 1 sporting regulations dictate that any driver incurring a grid penalty exceeding 15 places must start the race from the back of the field, irrespective of their qualifying performance.
The previous record for the largest grid penalty was held by Jenson Button. He received a 70-place grid penalty at the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix while driving for McLaren.
Audi officially entered Formula 1 in 2026, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg as their drivers. Mattia Binotto serves as the team principal.
Bortoleto, a former FIA Formula 3 (2023) and Formula 2 (2024) champion, is in his second Formula 1 season. He scored Audi’s first points as a manufacturer entrant at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.
Bortoleto qualified in 13th position for the United States Grand Prix, placing just behind his Audi teammate Nico Hulkenberg.
Other drivers also received penalties at the 2026 United States Grand Prix. Franco Colapinto of Alpine incurred a 10-place penalty for using a fourth control electronics unit. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad received a five-place penalty for his sixth internal combustion engine of the season.
