Gabriel Bortoleto’s crash in the sprint race of the Brazilian Grand Prix has left much deeper consequences than those visible on the track. The Brazilian driver emerged unscathed from the heavy impact, but not his Sauber car: the repair bill is close to $2,359,000, a huge amount that could significantly impact the team’s budget cap.
Bortoleto’s Crash in the Sprint Race in Brazil: Violent Impact
The incident occurred in the early stages of the Sprint when Bortoleto lost control of the car during a tight battle (in Turn 1, most likely the DRS didn’t close during braking), crashing into the barriers with a high-speed side impact. The hit destroyed much of the car’s body, damaged the chassis, and compromised key components such as suspensions, radiators, floor, and parts of the electrical system. Although it was a crash similar to others seen during the season, the extent of the damage was immediately clear to the Sauber pit: a car that practically needed to be rebuilt, with an estimated cost of nearly $2.5 million ($2,359,000.00).
A Damage that Affects the Budget Cap
And this is where the most delicate issue emerges. According to FIA financial regulations, fall under most of the items subject to the budget cap. This means that the amount needed to fix Bortoleto’s car must be accounted for within the maximum seasonal cap, set at $135 million.
For Sauber, already engaged like everyone else in meticulous expense management in these final races of the year, such a high impact risks eroding the final part of the available financial margin. It’s true that we’re almost at the end of the season, and that most investments have already been allocated, but an item of over two million still represents a heavy blow for any team.
The team will therefore have to carefully recalculate its expense budget to avoid finding itself over the threshold allowed by the regulations. Exceeding the budget cap would result in sporting and financial penalties, and no team wants to repeat what happened to other teams in past seasons.
Bortoleto’s crash not only compromised the home driver’s Sprint: it created a concrete problem for the entire Sauber technical and administrative department, now called to close the year while staying within budget limits and with a car to rebuild practically from scratch.
How much Do Damages Cost in Formula 1?
Managing crashes has become a crucial element in the budget cap era in F1: every crash can translate into an expense that directly affects the seasonal financial cap. On average, a Formula 1 team can spend between $2 and $4 million a year on repairs alone, but this figure can rise significantly in particularly eventful seasons or with drivers often involved in accidents.
Some components have very high costs:
- Front wing: $150,000–$300,000
- Car floor: $400,000–$600,000
- Gearbox and suspensions: $300,000–$500,000
- Chassis: over $1 million
These numbers make it clear how much a single impact, especially if it destroys structural elements, can weigh on a team’s budget. It’s no surprise, then, that teams monitor every contact and every off-track excursion: even an apparently “minor” episode can erode a significant part of the margin available under the budget cap.
Who Has Caused the Most Damage? The F1 Drivers’ Ranking
| POS | DRIVER | DAMAGE (Millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gabriel Bortoleto | €3.1 |
| 2 | Yuki Tsunoda | €2.9 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | €2.3 |
| 4 | Lance Stroll | €2.1 |
| 5 | Jack Doohan | €1.9 |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | €1.7 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | €1.6 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | €1.5 |
| 9 | Franco Colapinto | €1.4 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | €1.4 |