Gabriel Bortoleto believes that F1 drivers should stop complaining about the new regulations. The Audi driver is of the opinion that the sport has retained its appeal despite the changes and that the drivers simply need to adapt to this new reality. In recent months, there has been a lot of criticism of the new cars, including from Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, who again have low expectations for the upcoming Belgian GP.
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The transition from the previous generation of cars to the current regulations caused a lot of discussion within Formula 1. Especially the emphasis on energy management has led to fierce criticism in recent months. The FIA has now confirmed that the power distribution will be gradually adjusted over the coming seasons, with the internal combustion engine playing a larger role again. However, there was again a lot of negativity during the last British GP. The new regulations led to ‘yo-yo racing’ again and during qualifying drivers could not always go flat out.
According to Bortoleto, however, that does not mean that the magic of Formula 1 has disappeared. The Brazilian points out that the cars are still extremely fast, as he himself experienced at Silverstone. “I don’t think we have lost the magic of the sport,” the young driver responded to the press. “We are still driving damn fast through the Copse corner. We are talking about speeds of 280 km/h, so I still have to lift to get through that corner safely.”
‘We need to close that chapter’
“It’s not like you can go flat out through there now,” assured the Audi driver. “Yes, last year we simply had a different concept, but it’s time to close that chapter. These are the regulations we have to deal with now.”
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Bortoleto emphasizes that the current rules will remain in place for many years and that the focus must therefore shift to improvements within the existing framework. “To the people who are still complaining about it: we have passed that station. These are the regulations we have to work with until 2030. In 2031, when we switch to new regulations, we can reopen the discussion.”
“We can’t keep arguing about the same problem for three years,” Bortoleto concluded urgently. “This is just how it is. The cars are still fun to drive, but it’s just a little different. We have to adapt to that – that’s life.”
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