Nico Hulkenberg found himself embarrassed following a prank by Gabriel Bortoleto during the United States Grand Prix.
Young Audi racer Gabriel Bortoleto played a joke on his teammate Nico Hulkenberg as they stepped out in front of a throng of fans at the Circuit of the Americas. As both drivers were greeted by cheers from the Austin audience, the Brazilian yanked his teammate's trousers down.
Footage of this incident has gone wildly viral, showcasing Hulkenberg making his entrance onto the stage on Friday when Bortoleto, from behind, tugged at his trousers, eliciting loud cheers and laughter from the crowd. The German took the prank in stride, chuckling as he adjusted his clothing.
This playful moment provided a bit of levity during a challenging weekend for Bortoleto. The Brazilian is set to start Sunday’s United States Grand Prix from the rear of the grid, after Audi exceeded his limit of power unit components.
Bortoleto and Hulkenberg have been teammates since 2025, when the team was still operating as Sauber, and have developed one of the more jovial partnerships on the grid, even after the team’s acquisition by the German manufacturer Audi. However, the squad has found it difficult to secure points in 2026. Currently, they sit eighth in the constructors’ championship with 23 points, with the seasoned Hulkenberg contributing 13 and Bortoleto 10.
"I have noticed significant improvements in reliability," Bortoleto stated on Thursday in anticipation of the United States Grand Prix race weekend. "We had one [issue] in Singapore, but we believe we have identified the cause.
"It was certainly not ideal, but it occurred at a time when I wasn't really contending for the lead, so it didn't upset me as much. I hope we can navigate the rest of the season without any major problems and that we can finish races and qualifying in the best possible condition and extract everything we can from the car."
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