F1 broadcaster apologizes for controversial comments about Gabriel Bortoleto's family during Brazilian GP

Austrian broadcaster ORF has issued a public apology after commentator Franz Tost made controversial remarks about Gabriel Bortoleto’s family during the Brazilian Grand Prix live broadcast.

The incident occurred moments after the Sauber driver crashed out on the opening lap of his first home race at Interlagos. A grid penalty already left him starting from the back after a violent Sprint crash on Saturday, and emotions in the Sauber garage reached a breaking point when he was sent into the barriers once again at Turn 1 of the Grand Prix.

As the broadcast cut to his distraught family in the garage, Tost, a co-commentator for ORF alongside Ernst Hausleitner, made a remark that immediately drew backlash:

“He’s in the learning phase. The moms don’t need to look so stupid, it’s completely normal,” Tost said (via Krone).

The statement, which circulated online, prompted widespread criticism from fans and insiders. Facing mounting pressure, ORF issued a formal apology to the Sauber driver and his family through social media on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

“During the co-commentary of the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix, in the hectic start phase, when Gabriel Bortoleto's mother and family were visible in the live broadcast after his crash, an unacceptable statement was unfortunately made, for which we sincerely apologize,” the statement read (as translated from German). “The expression and choice of words were completely inappropriate, and ORF Sport will take appropriate precautions to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”

Gabriel Bortoleto remained composed in the aftermath, though a clip of the young driver embracing his family after the race circulated widely online, capturing the heartbreak of a hometown hero whose dream debut weekend ended in despair.

Gabriel Bortoleto reflects on “one of the toughest weekends of my whole career”

Gabriel Bortoleto before the Brazilian GP. Source: Getty

For Gabriel Bortoleto, the weekend at Interlagos was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it became a harsh learning curve. The Sauber rookie’s trouble began during the Sprint, when a misjudged move in Alex Albon’s slipstream sent him into the barriers before Turn 1 with a heavy 57g impact. The crash destroyed his car, leaving him unable to take part in qualifying.

Starting from last place on Sunday, Bortoleto gained a couple of positions in the opening moments before contact with Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin ended his race almost immediately. After the race, the Brazilian driver admitted that it was a weekend he would not forget easily.

“I’m just very upset because it’s my first home race so you always expect to do a good job, or at least race a little bit,” Gabriel Bortoleto said (via F1). “I think it has been one of the toughest weekends of my whole career because I see that my fans are here, my family, my team.” “For them, it’s also very important and it was one of the biggest accidents I’ve had in my career, probably the biggest one. I think it’s a combination of things, and then not doing a single lap in the race after having a good start… until that moment, I think I was up two positions already," he added.

Despite the heartbreak, fans at Interlagos showed their unwavering support. Grandstands were filled with Brazilian flags and banners bearing Bortoleto's name. His teammate Nico Hülkenberg salvaged a points finish for Sauber with P9 after a well-managed one-stop strategy, bringing some consolation to the team as they turn their focus to the final three rounds of the 2025 season.

Edited by Parag Jain