Gabriel Bortoleto was disqualified from the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix Sprint after post-race scrutineering found his Audi R26 exceeded the maximum permitted engine intake air pressure of 4.8 barA. FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reported that FIA-approved sensors mounted downstream of the charge air cooling system recorded a pressure spike above the 4.8 barA limit for one lap as temperatures rose, and cited non-compliance with Article C5.3.2. Race stewards applied the standard disqualification, removing Bortoleto’s 11th-place Sprint result and any potential points, and promoting Esteban Ocon to 11th place.

Audi acknowledged the pressure exceedance occurred over a single lap and attributed it to unexpectedly high temperatures. Team representatives said they reduced intake pressure once they became aware of the spike, and an Audi representative confirmed the measurements when stewards double-checked the data. Audi also stripped the rear axle to isolate the issue and reinstalled a gearbox and the whole rear axle in about half an hour, a recovery Bortoleto described as a “miracle.” That repair delayed his entry into Q1, produced the slowest lap in Q1 and, according to Bortoleto, hampered his chances in qualifying. Both Audi drivers were due to start Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix from the back of the grid.

The disqualification came amid a separate mechanical failure for Audi, when team-mate Nico Hülkenberg suffered a power-unit failure that produced smoke and flames and prevented him from starting the Sprint. The ruling underscored the role of FIA-approved sensor data in post-session scrutineering and the strict enforcement of FIA technical regulations.