Gabriel Bortoleto hit with further 60-place grid penalty in Austin

Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto faces a total 80-place grid drop for the United States Grand Prix after receiving further penalties for taking additional power unit components.

The Brazilian entered the Austin weekend with an entirely new power unit, incurring a 20-place penalty as several elements (energy store and control electronics) exceeded his season allocation. Ahead of Free Practice 3 at Circuit of the Americas, Audi mechanics fitted yet another complete power unit to Bortoleto's car, with every component exceeding the permitted limits this time around.

Consequently, the Brazilian has been hit with an additional 60-place grid penalty, bringing his total drop to 80 places. The massive sanction virtually guarantees Bortoleto will start from the very back of the grid for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

Audi's tactical approach is reminiscent of the early turbo-hybrid era, when teams often stockpiled fresh engine components during a single weekend to absorb one large penalty rather than taking multiple smaller hits across several races.