Gabriel Bortoleto has been handed a five-place grid penalty for the Qatar Grand Prix after his opening corner collision with Lance Stroll on the first lap of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Kick Sauber driver started P18 for the 50-lap race on the streets of Las Vegas but any hopes of a good result evaporated at the first corner after he dove up the inside of several cars before colliding with Stroll ahead.
The contact sent Bortoleto into a spin and eventually retirement on the second lap, while Stroll was out immediately following the hit, with the incident place under investigation for after the race.
The stewards eventually handed Bortoleto a five-place grid penalty for the Qatar Grand Prix next weekend and two penalty points on his licence, noting that the Brazilian “braked extremely late”.
They added that the grid penalty was in lieu of a 10-second race penalty, which could not be served due to Bortoleto’s retirement, “as per the guidelines”.
“It was my fault. I think I just misjudged the grip that I had and where I was on track,” said Bortoleto, who has now crashed out of the last three races.
“I had a very good launch and went for a move on the inside of the Williams, and when I put the car on the left-hand side of the Williams, it was already time to brake and I broke like five metres too late, then just arrived a bit too long in the corner.
“I had no angle to do the corner because I was completely on the inside, and just misjudged it. It was my fault.”
Stroll added: “It happens. It’s racing. Sometimes these things happen and it is what it is.”
