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

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

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

When the broadcast turned to his heartbroken family in the garage, Tost, co-commentator of ORF along with Ernst Hausleitner, made a comment that immediately caused a reaction:

“It's in the learning phase. Moms don't need to look so stupid, it's completely normal,” Tost said (via crown).

The statement, which circulated online, drew widespread criticism from fans and insiders. Faced with growing pressure, ORF issued a formal apology to the to know the driver and his family via social media on Wednesday, November 12.

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

Gabriel Bortoleto remained composed afterward, however a clip of the young driver hugging his family after the race circulated widely onlinecapturing the heartbreak of a hometown hero whose dream debut weekend ended in despair.

Gabriel Bortoleto reflects on 'one of the toughest weekends of my entire career'

For Gabriel Bortoletothe weekend in Interlagos was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it became a steep learning curve. The Sauber rookie's troubles began during the Sprint, when a wrong move in Alex Albon's slipstream sent him into the barriers ahead of Turn 1 with a heavy 57g impact. The accident wrecked his car and he was unable to participate in qualifying.

Starting from last place on Sunday, Bortoleto gained a couple of positions in the early moments before contact with Lance WalkAston Martin ended its career almost immediately. After the race, the Brazilian rider admitted it was a weekend he wouldn't easily forget.

“I'm really upset because it's my first race at home, so you always hope to do a good job, or at least run a little bit,” said Gabriel Bortoleto (via F1). “I think it's been one of the hardest weekends of my entire career because I see my fans are here, my family, my team.”

“For them it's very important as well and it was one of the biggest crashes I've had in my career, probably the biggest. I think it's a combination of things, and then not doing a single lap in the race after a good start… up until that point, I think I was up two positions,” he added.

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