Bortoleto rues reckless error in Monaco qualifying

It was a crushing end to a weekend that started with so much potential for Audi. After looking like the class of the field behind the top four squads throughout practice, Gabriel Bortoleto’s session ended in the barriers at the Nouvelle Chicane. The 21-year-old was left to shoulder the blame, admitting he simply took too many risks, clipped the wall, and broke his suspension during Q1.

His teammate Nico Hulkenberg managed to reach Q2, but the day didn't get much better for the team, as he could only manage P13. Hulkenberg was left scratching his head, citing a lack of grip and some unfortunate traffic that hampered his final run. It is a tough pill to swallow, especially since both drivers had shown top-10 pace since Friday.

Bortoleto’s honesty was refreshing but painful to hear. "I’m sorry only for them because they have done an amazing job this weekend," he said, clearly gutted to have denied the team a deserved shot at the top 10. As we know, overtaking on these streets is a nightmare, so their work is cut out for them on Sunday.