In front of a roaring Austin crowd, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto cheekily yanked Nico Hulkenberg’s pants as they stepped onto the podium.
The clip exploded online, showing the German driver stumbling as Bortoleto snatched his trousers, while spectators erupted in cheers. Hulkenberg brushed it off, laughing while readjusting his gear.
That stunt gave a brief breather to Bortoleto’s challenging weekend; he’ll line up at the back of Sunday’s United States Grand Prix after Audi exceeded his power‑unit component quota.
Since their 2025 Sauber days, Bortoleto and Hulkenberg have kept the mood light despite Audi’s takeover. Yet points remain scarce in 2026, with the team eighth on 23 points—Hulkenberg 13, Bortoleto 10. For my money, their camaraderie is the team’s biggest asset right now.
Bortoleto said reliability has markedly improved, recalling a single issue in Singapore that they believe they have identified.
He added that the problem arrived when he wasn’t battling at the front, so it didn’t sting as much. He hopes the remainder of the season will be free of major setbacks, allowing the crew to extract maximum performance from a well‑prepared car. If they avoid further penalties, Audi could climb into the points by mid‑season.
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– The Team