Gabriel Bortoleto has escaped a grid penalty after the FIA stewards found the Audi driver responsible for unnecessarily impeding Lewis Hamilton during final practice for the 2026 United States Grand Prix. The incident occurred at Turn 12 of the Circuit of the Americas, forcing the Ferrari driver to abandon his flying lap. Despite establishing that a regulatory infringement had taken place, the stewards decided a warning was the appropriate punishment.
The decision followed an investigation involving video footage, team radio communications and statements from Gabriel Bortoleto and representatives of the teams involved. The Brazilian acknowledged that he had reacted too late to the approaching Ferrari, while a representative of the Maranello team accepted that the situation had not been dangerous. Those circumstances contributed to the decision not to impose a more severe sporting sanction.
Why Gabriel Bortoleto impeded Lewis Hamilton during Austin FP3
The incident took place at 1:22 p.m. local time during the third free practice session at the United States Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton was approaching Turn 12 in Ferrari’s number 44 car while completing a flying lap, with Gabriel Bortoleto travelling more slowly on an in-lap.
Turn 12 is located at the end of the long back straight and represents one of the circuit’s principal braking zones. The difference in speed between the two cars became particularly important as Hamilton prepared to slow down for the corner.
Gabriel Bortoleto’s position compromised the Ferrari driver’s braking phase, preventing him from completing the lap as intended. Lewis Hamilton consequently abandoned his attempt, and the incident was referred to Race Control for examination.
The disruption came during an important final practice session for Ferrari, which had been working to establish its competitiveness ahead of qualifying. The American circuit’s combination of long straights and demanding braking zones places particular importance on completing uninterrupted flying laps, as outlined in the 2026 United States Grand Prix and COTA guide.
Gabriel Bortoleto acknowledges late reaction to approaching Ferrari
The circumstances behind the incident were detailed in FIA stewards’ document 38, published on 24 October. During the investigation, Gabriel Bortoleto explained that his race engineer had warned him about the approaching Ferrari approximately 15 seconds before Lewis Hamilton arrived.
However, the Audi driver was occupied with managing his car while approaching Turn 12 and did not pay sufficient attention to the initial warning. No additional radio message followed before the Ferrari reached the braking zone.
Gabriel Bortoleto also explained that the downhill approach to Turn 12 contributed to his difficulty in recognising the situation. According to his account, he only spotted Lewis Hamilton’s car at the last moment.
Once he realised the Ferrari was approaching, the Brazilian released the brakes and moved towards the escape road in an attempt to clear the way. By that point, however, the action was too late to prevent the interference with Hamilton’s lap.
During the stewards’ hearing, Gabriel Bortoleto acknowledged that he had failed to react quickly enough and that his actions had compromised the seven-time world champion’s attempt. His explanation formed part of the evidence assessed alongside the available footage and radio communications.
FIA stewards find Gabriel Bortoleto responsible but issue only a warning
Following their review, the stewards concluded that Gabriel Bortoleto had unnecessarily impeded Lewis Hamilton. They determined that the incident constituted a breach of Article B4.1.1 of the FIA Formula 1 regulations.
Nevertheless, the stewards stopped short of imposing a grid-place penalty or any additional sporting sanction. Instead, they issued the Audi driver with a warning.
An important consideration was the assessment provided by Ferrari’s representative during the investigation. Although Lewis Hamilton had been forced to abandon his flying lap, the team’s representative acknowledged that the incident had not created a dangerous situation.
Taking that factor into account, the stewards considered a warning proportionate to the circumstances. Their approach was also consistent with decisions taken in comparable impeding incidents during free practice sessions.
The distinction is significant because the investigation established that an infringement had occurred. Gabriel Bortoleto was not cleared of responsibility; rather, the stewards determined that the appropriate consequence was a warning instead of a more substantial penalty.
What the FIA decision means for Gabriel Bortoleto and Lewis Hamilton
The immediate outcome is that Gabriel Bortoleto will not receive a grid penalty as a result of the FP3 incident. His qualifying and race prospects at the United States Grand Prix will therefore not be affected by an additional starting-position sanction arising from this investigation.
For Lewis Hamilton, the sporting consequence was the loss of a flying lap during final practice. The Ferrari driver had been unable to complete his attempt after encountering the slower Audi at Turn 12, although the stewards did not consider the situation dangerous.
The incident illustrates the importance of communication and awareness when drivers on different running programmes share the circuit. While one competitor may be completing a competitive lap, another may be returning to the pits at a significantly reduced speed, creating situations that require timely responses to warnings from the pit wall.
In this case, the initial warning reached Gabriel Bortoleto approximately 15 seconds before the Ferrari arrived, but the Brazilian did not react quickly enough to prevent the obstruction. The absence of a second warning and his limited visibility of the approaching car were among the circumstances explained during the hearing.
The FIA’s decision brings the investigation to a close with a formal warning for Gabriel Bortoleto and no grid penalty. Lewis Hamilton’s interrupted practice lap remains the principal consequence for Ferrari, while the stewards’ ruling makes clear why the incident did not result in a more severe sanction.
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