Bortoleto misses out on Sao Paulo GP Qualifying after high-speed Sprint crash

Kick Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto missed out on taking part in Qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix following a high-speed crash in the earlier Sprint, despite the heroic efforts from the team to try and get the car rebuilt in time.

The Brazilian rookie, competing in his first F1 home event this weekend, crashed on the final lap of the Sprint while trying to move out of Alex Albon's slipstream. Heading into Turn 1, he slammed into the inside wall before being thrown back across the track and ending up in the barriers.

Replays showed that his front and rear wings had been torn off the car during the crash, and with only three hours between the end of the Sprint and Qualifying, there was not enough time for mechanics to complete the extensive repairs needed despite their best efforts.

A statement from the team after Q1 read: “The crew did a formidable job trying to get Gabriel’s car ready for Qualifying. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get him out in time for him to set a lap, but this should not detract from the effort every single team member in the garage put in. We will now shift our focus to the race.”

Bortoleto fortunately sustained no injuries in the crash, for which Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley credited the FIA.

"At the moment it sounds like he’s absolutely fine, no injuries at all," he told F1 TV. "I should say first of all, the incredible work the FIA have done in terms of safety, working with the teams – you’ve seen it today.

"Having a crash of that magnitude and for the driver to be fine, get out and go to the medical centre..."

Asked whether the team knew what caused the crash, he replied: "It’s a little bit soon. Obviously we saw it happen and then waited for a replay, but then before you know it, your first thought is to make sure the driver is okay.

"That’s what I focused on really after the session. I’m sure we’ll have a look at it. It looked like one of the biggest crashes I’ve seen for a while, frankly. I’m just pleased that he was okay and, like I say, the safety standards in Formula 1 are so impressive."

The news rounded off a frustrating Sprint for Sauber, with Nico Hulkenberg skidding off the track in a similar vein to the incident that saw Oscar Piastri's Sprint come to an early end. While the team were able to replace his broken front and rear wings under the red flag, he struggled to recover positions and crossed the line in P16.