Ralf Schumacher slams ‘unsportsmanlike’ F1 youngster who ‘can’t look in the mirror’

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Gabriel Bortoleto has suffered the wrath of Ralf Schumacher, as the Audi driver has been criticised for his ‘unsportsmanlike’ driving at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The final race before the summer break brought huge controversy over blue flags. The automatic system failed during the Hungarian Grand Prix, leaving the leading drivers stuck behind backmarkers.

Max Verstappen unleashed his fury over the radio, calling backmarkers ‘morons’ as he tried to navigate through the field. Oscar Piastri collided with Carlos Sainz after the Williams driver failed to see the McLaren star, and Bortoleto also caused issues for the frontrunners.

Ralf Schumacher blasts ‘unsportsmanlike’ Gabriel Bortoleto for not looking in his mirrors at Hungarian GP

The Audi driver was seen holding up Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages, and he appeared to hamper Mercedes, as Toto Wolff criticised Bortoleto after the race.

He said via Sky Sport Germany: “I’m annoyed about the marshalling system with the blue flags, which didn’t work. I’m annoyed about the backmarkers who don’t get out of the way and can cost you a podium finish. That’s not on.

“Bortoleto was blocking us. Unbelievable! If they’re driving at the front, I’d like to hear what they have to say when someone’s weaving around like that.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Gabriel Bortoleto, including ties to Fernando Alonso

Wolff even referred to backmarkers’ race engineers as ‘Teletubbies’ for not telling their drivers to make way. Bortoleto justified his actions as he pointed out that the blue flags system made it difficult to know whether he was supposed to yield or not.

“The system didn’t work,” he said. “The blue flag wasn’t working anymore. I got stuck behind Bearman and Sainz myself. Something wasn’t working there.

“I always had to wait until my engineer told me something. He only told me just before Turn 11 that I should let them (Antonelli and Hamilton; editor’s note) past, and I did so straight away. I had no indication of blue flags on the screens, and I can’t look in the mirror in the middle of a corner.”

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Schumacher was not having Bortoleto’s explanation one bit. The former F1 driver did not understand how he could not ‘look in his mirrors’ to see the frontrunners, and even said that he should ‘step aside’ from F1 if he is incapable of doing so.

“I can’t understand that at all,” said Schumacher. “Every driver knows what’s at stake. You’ve got your engineer; you ask him and you also check your rear-view mirror.

“If he tells me he can’t look in the rear-view mirror whilst driving, then he’s in over his head and needs to step aside. But that’s really unsportsmanlike!”