Gabriel Bortoleto makes his P1 debut!
About this episode
Gabriel Bortoleto talks through his Monaco weekend, including a crash at Turn 10 that broke his suspension, then answers fan-style questions and gets into what he’d want from future F1 eras. Teammate and driver-dynamics themes come up alongside broader F1 debate—reverse grids, sprint formats, and how qualifying gaps and reliability shape weekends. The conversation also touches on Ayrton Senna’s influence, Monaco’s intensity, and a few entertaining sim and gaming moments.
In Monaco a few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to speak to Audi Revolut F1 driver, Gabriel Bortoleto! We chatted about how he's adjusting to life in the sport, what it's like representing the country of the great Ayrton Senna and even gaming with Max Verstappen!
Plus, we're then joined by Audi's Racing Director and former F1 driver, Allan McNish. He tells us about the intricacies of running a team that he's had so much personal success with in motorsport, and how F1 has changed over his near-three decades in the sport.
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race weekend format
"Probably just maybe change a bit the format of the race weekends, make something different, not that I don't like what I have now, but maybe, you know, making it a bit less time in FB and straight away quality or some stuff like this"
The race weekend format is just the timetable of events before the main race. It includes sessions like practice and qualifying, and changing it can affect how teams and drivers prepare.
The race weekend format is the schedule of sessions (practice, qualifying, and any sprint events) that lead up to the main Grand Prix. Drivers often debate it because the timing and length of sessions can change how teams prepare, how much racing happens, and how much “track time” drivers get before qualifying.
qualifying
"No, we spend Thursday and then Friday and then we arrive on Saturday only to do a qualifying. Sometimes takes a bit too long."
Qualifying is the practice-like session where drivers try to set their fastest lap. Your qualifying result usually decides where you start the race.
Qualifying is the session where drivers set their fastest lap times to determine the starting grid for the race. In F1, it’s a key part of the weekend because track position at the start can strongly affect race strategy and overtaking opportunities.
reverse grids
"How do you feel about reverse grids? We've had that previously. People have said, you know... I don't like that."
A reverse grid is when the starting order is flipped around. Instead of the fastest cars starting first, the order is rearranged so it can be harder for the front-runners and easier for others to fight for position.
In Formula One, a reverse grid means the starting order is flipped based on a prior result (often the previous race or qualifying). The goal is to mix up who starts where, which can create more overtaking but can also feel less “earned” to drivers who prefer performance to determine the grid.
sprint race
"I never want to sprint race, but even when you finish in the podium, you don't feel good unless you start from the back and you finish on the podium. But when you finish on the podium, starting like quite ahead, it means that you did a very"
A sprint race is a shorter race held during the weekend. It can affect where you start the main race, so drivers care a lot about how they do in it.
A sprint race is a shorter race format used in some F1 weekends that typically determines (part of) the starting grid for the main Grand Prix. Because it’s shorter, it can reward different skills and strategies, and drivers may feel their weekend “doesn’t count” unless they perform well in the sprint-to-race sequence.
Monaco
"[226.1s] So we're here in Monaco. [227.5s] I'd love to get your sort of feelings and emotions the first time you drove a Formula [232.5s] 1 car around here, because like, you know, we've driven on the F1 game and that's scary"
Monaco is where Formula 1 races on a narrow street track with walls right next to the cars. Because it’s so tight, driving there feels intense and unforgiving.
Monaco is famous in Formula 1 for its tight, slow-speed street circuit where barriers sit very close to the racing line. That layout makes even small mistakes feel huge, because there’s almost no room for error.
Formula 1 car
"[227.5s] I'd love to get your sort of feelings and emotions the first time you drove a Formula [232.5s] 1 car around here, because like, you know, we've driven on the F1 game and that's scary"
A Formula 1 car is a purpose-built open-wheel race car designed for extremely high downforce and grip at speed. Compared with most cars, it relies heavily on aerodynamics and precise tires to stay stable through corners—especially on tracks like Monaco.
Max Verstappen
"[268.6s] Could you tell us the funniest thing that's happened when you've had a gaming session [271.8s] with Max Verstappen, or like a funny moment that you can remember when you were gaming [275.7s] with Max? [277.5s] I mean, one of them, he rages a lot when he's gaming."
Max Verstappen is a famous Formula 1 race driver. Here, they’re talking about him during gaming sessions and how he reacts when he’s playing.
Max Verstappen is a top Formula 1 driver known for aggressive driving and frequent on-track battles. In this segment, he’s referenced as a fellow gamer whose reactions (raging) are part of the conversation.
Senna
"[389.6s] Are they kind of the era you were watching and aspiring to be a Formula 1 driver, that [395.2s] kind of era? [396.8s] Well, I watch videos of Senna. [399.6s] I was not alive, I was 10 years after he died, I was born. [403.9s] But yeah, Senna for me was always my idol and he's the greatest of all time, so I take [410.4s] him as an inspiration."
Senna was a famous Brazilian Formula 1 race driver. The guest looks up to him and watches videos to get inspired.
Ayrton Senna was a legendary Brazilian Formula 1 driver known for extraordinary qualifying speed and wet-weather dominance. In this segment, the guest says he watches Senna videos and uses him as inspiration for his own F1 career.
reliability issues
"This year in particular in Formula One, I found it immensely impressive the speed [752.0s] that this car has been able to produce at such an early point in the partnership. [757.4s] Yes, there's been some reliability issues, but you must take a lot of positives out"
“Reliability issues” means the car isn’t working consistently—something might break or act up. In racing, that can ruin your chances even if the car is fast.
In racing, “reliability issues” means components or systems failing or underperforming in a way that prevents consistent operation. In Formula One, even small reliability problems can erase strong qualifying or race pace.
Q3
"You know, Nico or Gabby have qualified up until this weekend. [794.7s] Eleven's just knocking on the door of Q3. [797.6s] And frankly, this weekend, I think we had the pace to get both cars in Q3, but ultimately"
In F1 qualifying, Q3 is the last and fastest part of the session. If your car reaches Q3, it means you’re among the quickest in that qualifying session.
In Formula One qualifying, Q3 is the final segment where the fastest drivers set their lap times. Only a limited number of cars make it into Q3, so getting there is a strong sign of outright pace.
chassis
"But the raw speeds, I think, is there. [804.8s] But the raw speeds, I think, is there. [807.4s] When we look at the chassis, medium and high speed corners, it's really, really strong."
The chassis is the main frame of the race car. If they say it’s strong in certain corners, it means the car feels stable and grips well through those turns.
In Formula One, the chassis is the car’s main structural platform that supports the suspension, aerodynamics, and driver position. When they say the chassis is strong in certain corner types, they’re talking about how well the car maintains balance and grip through those sections.
medium and high speed corners
"But the raw speeds, I think, is there. [804.8s] But the raw speeds, I think, is there. [807.4s] When we look at the chassis, medium and high speed corners, it's really, really strong."
These are turns where you don’t slow down much—you’re going faster through the corner. The car has to stay stable and keep traction at speed, so teams judge how it performs in those conditions.
“Medium and high speed corners” are turns where the car carries significant velocity, requiring aerodynamic stability and good mechanical grip. Different corner speeds stress the car’s balance differently, so teams evaluate performance by corner type.
Petit Le Mans
"The one that I shared with Gabby was actually crashing on the way to the grid in Petit Le Mans. And it wasn't a funny story."
Petit Le Mans is a long-distance race for sports cars in the U.S. Because it lasts so long, teams have to manage crashes and repairs, not just speed.
Petit Le Mans is a sports-car endurance race held at Road Atlanta in the U.S. It’s known for long stints, pit strategy, and the kind of on-track incidents that can derail a weekend—then force a recovery plan.
shunted
"It was a really frustrating story, because I shunted on the way to the grid and I walked into the motorhome while they were repairing the car."
“Shunted” means the car got hit and shoved around by another car (or something on track). It usually implies a crash serious enough to cause damage.
In racing, “shunted” means the car was struck or pushed off its line—typically from a collision—causing a sudden impact and often damage. It’s a common motorsport term for a contact incident that can lead to repairs.
gearbox
"Said, OK, have you looked at it? The things in two pieces, the gearbox was off the back and they repaired it."
The gearbox is the part that helps the car choose the right gear for the speed you’re going. If it’s damaged, it can take a lot of work to fix during a race weekend.
The gearbox is the transmission assembly that selects gear ratios to match engine speed to vehicle speed. In endurance racing, gearbox damage can be a major job because it may require removing and reinstalling drivetrain components.
Formula One
"Well, what a turnaround. What a turnaround. So you raced in Formula One back in 2002."
Formula One is the highest level of open-wheel racing. If someone raced in F1, they’ve competed at the very top of motorsport.
Formula One (F1) is the top tier of open-wheel, single-seater racing, with races run under FIA rules. Mentioning a driver’s F1 background signals a high level of experience in elite racing machinery and racecraft.
open testing
"So just the sheer workload, we had open testing then. I think I did 45 days of testing on my own, not the teammate,"
"Open testing" means teams had more freedom to run cars and practice outside of the race weekends. The idea is they could spend more time learning the car and improving it.
"Open testing" refers to periods where teams could run cars for development and practice outside of the race weekend structure. The host contrasts that era—where they could do extensive testing—with modern F1’s tighter testing limits and more standardized preparation.
power units
"And now you're looking at, you know, the power units for the whole season. So there's been so many changes."
In Formula One, "power unit" means the whole high-tech engine system that powers the car. It’s more than just an engine—it's a combined setup that also recovers and reuses energy.
In modern Formula One, the term "power unit" refers to the complete hybrid engine system used for propulsion, not just the engine block. It includes the internal-combustion engine plus energy-recovery and storage components that work together to deliver power across the lap.
changing engines twice per day
"You know, we were changing engines twice per day. And now you're looking at, you know, the power units for the whole season."
They’re talking about how, back then, engines weren’t expected to last long. So teams might swap engines multiple times in a single day, which shows how different reliability and rules are now.
The host is describing how, in earlier Formula One eras, engine reliability and development demands could require extremely frequent engine swaps. That highlights how modern F1 power units are designed to last for a full season’s race schedule rather than being treated as short-lived components.
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