Gabriel Bortoleto reveals injury after huge 57G Brazil crash

Gabriel Bortoleto has revealed he sustained minor leg pain as a result of his enormous crash at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The Sauber driver suffered a violent during the sprint race on Saturday in Brazil when he attempted to overtake Alex Albon’s Williams on the run to Turn 1.

Bortoleto lost control of his car and smashed into the inside wall, before being sent hurtling to the outside barriers in a terrifying incident which destroyed his Sauber.

The brutal impact was recorded at a huge 57G, though it was confirmed at the time that Bortoleto was unhurt. 

Bortoleto has now divulged that he suffered a minor injury in the wake of his sprint race crash.

“I was very lucky. I had a bit of pain in my left leg but it went away one or two days after the crash, so that was great,” the Brazilian told Sky Sports F1 ahead of this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

“When I hit the brakes, the DRS was still in the closing procedure. It was not fully closed, I had big rear locking because of that.

“I hit a bump when I hit the brakes, so I spun to the inside wall. Lots of learnings and what to do if I need to divebomb down the inside at Turn One in Sao Paulo next year.”

Bortoleto went on to suffer a second crash in as many days on the opening lap of Sunday’s grand prix in Brazil after appearing to be squeezed by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

That compounded a miserable first F1 weekend on home soil for Bortoleto, who has enjoyed an impressive rookie season with Sauber.

Bortoleto has scored 19 points this season, with his vastly experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg amassing 43.

Sauber sit ninth in the constructors’ championship with three races remaining this season, but are just 20 points behind sixth-placed Racing Bulls and 10 behind Aston Martin, who occupy seventh.