Gabriel Bortoleto lands 'new job' in comical Audi Spanish GP joke

Gabriel Bortoleto's marathon stint on a single set of Pirelli tyres helped Audi teammate Nico Hulkenberg snatch the final point in the Spanish Grand Prix, earning the Brazilian a comical "new job" from racing director Allan McNish.

Why it matters:

The result moves Audi to 17 points and eighth in the constructors' standings, one behind Haas. In a tight midfield fight, Bortoleto's selfless driving was key to Hulkenberg's top-10 finish.

The details:

• Bortoleto stayed out lap after lap on the same tyres, keeping rivals occupied while Hulkenberg climbed into the top 10.
• Hulkenberg finished 10th, a lap down on winner Kimi Antonelli; Bortoleto crossed the line 13th.
• McNish joked: "He's actually got a new job. He's on endurance development for Pirelli now to see whether they can do two race distances, not just one, together."
• McNish insisted it wasn't blocking, saying Bortoleto gave Colapinto space. "It wasn't necessarily using him to block. That's not the game that we play," he said. He added: "Without doubt, we lent on that."

The big picture:

McNish was less playful about the car. Audi's last significant upgrade arrived in Austria, while rivals have since improved. He cited Pierre Gasly's strong race pace in Madrid and his Monza pole as signs of how quickly the midfield order is shifting.

What's next:

Audi must bring upgrades to keep pace. "We do need to start to bring things to the car to be able to keep the position," McNish said.