Audi left frustrated after penalties and last-lap drama in Malaysia

Audi were left to reflect on a “frustrating” end to Sunday’s race in Malaysia that saw them lose out on points during the last lap, according to www.formula1.com.

Nico Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on scoring a point for Audi at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, while team mate Gabriel Bortoleto saw his race unfold following a collision with Carlos Sainz.

The squad described the weekend as “particularly eventful” per the source, and it is not hard to see why. Bortoleto had progressed to Q3 in Saturday’s Qualifying and lined up in P10, but both Audis bolted on soft tyres for the start — a decision that quickly went against them given the still damp conditions from the heavy rainfall that had delayed the event getting underway.

An early stop for intermediates allowed each driver to make gains, but Bortoleto’s progress faltered when he made contact with the Williams of Sainz, an incident for which the Brazilian subsequently received a 10-second time penalty.

Hulkenberg, meanwhile, remained in the fight for points until the very end, only just missing out after being overtaken by Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad on the final lap of the Grand Prix. The team were also handed a fine — part of which was suspended for 12 months on the condition that there is not a similar incident in that time — for an unsafe release of Hulkenberg during a pit stop.

RACE DAY UNFOLDS

From there, the race became a story of recovery and near-misses. An early stop for intermediates allowed both Audis to climb back through the field, each driver finding pace as the track began to dry.

Bortoleto’s momentum was cut short, however, when he made contact with the Williams of Carlos Sainz. The incident drew a 10-second time penalty for the Brazilian, derailing what had been a promising afternoon.

Hulkenberg, meanwhile, kept himself in the points fight until the chequered flag. The German was running inside the top ten late on, only to be pipped by Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad on the final lap of the Grand Prix.

It was a cruel repeat of the previous weekend in Azerbaijan, where Hulkenberg also saw a point slip away in the closing stages. The team’s day was further complicated by a fine for an unsafe release of Hulkenberg during a pit stop, part of which was suspended for 12 months on the condition there is no similar incident in that time.