Within the first of a brand new mini-series the place Motorsport.com is delving into the burgeoning Formulation 1 careers of the six 2025 rookies, at the moment we’re introducing new Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
The 20-year-old hails from Sao Paulo and has already constructed a powerful junior motorsport profession.
Like Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri earlier than him, Bortoleto arrives on the high tier having gained back-to-back Formulation 3 (often called GP3 when Leclerc and Russell gained this title) and Formulation 2 championships on the first try.
Earlier than then, he produced first rate returns in Italian Formulation 4 and the Formulation Regional European championship after transferring to Italy aged 13 together with his coach Francesco di Mauro.
Bortoleto’s household have appreciable wealth, together with his father Lincoln Oliveira getting wealthy in Brazil’s telecommunications trade within the Nineteen Nineties. They’re understood to have had shut hyperlinks with Brazil’s most up-to-date debuting F1 driver, Felipe Nasr, on his manner up the single-seater ranks earlier than making his personal F1 bow with Sauber again in 2015.
However that’s removed from Bortoleto’s solely present tie to the highest of the one seater ladder, as he has been managed by Fernando Alonso’s A14 firm since 2023.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Invicta Racing celebrates after profitable the championship
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs
A14 helped to safe his berth with the Trident crew with which Bortoleto went on to win that 12 months’s F3 title – taking two wins and one pole within the course of.
He produced related numbers in profitable the 2024 F2 title with the Invicta squad (two wins, two poles), however what set him aside in each profitable campaigns was his skill to convey dwelling constant factors when his title rivals floundered by way of numerous levels.
By 2024, Bortoleto had joined the books at McLaren, which agreed to launch him from his junior driver standing to go to Sauber when the soon-to-be Audi squad got here calling as 2024 concluded. McLaren may have no F1 seat openings till the top of 2026 on the earliest and Bortoleto had nowhere additional to progress up the ladder.
McLaren crew boss Andrea Stella spoke warmly of Bortoleto’s achievements final 12 months, calling him “humble” and “at no level conceited” – even when the 2024 F2 season began off with a battle to adapt to the championship’s new spec automobile.
Alonso took a usually extra bombastic strategy in comparison with his former race engineer.
“I do know there are lots of talks in regards to the younger technology – lots of rookies additionally subsequent 12 months, very proficient all of them – however one of the best is Gabriel,” the Aston Martin driver mentioned on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix final 12 months. “He confirmed it on observe with the identical vehicles.”
When requested by Motorsport.com how he would select to introduce himself to F1 followers on the current F175 Dwell occasion in London, Bortoleto replied: “I do not know. I attempt to be myself as a lot as I can. I do not attempt to be totally different.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber C45
Photograph by: Sauber F1 Workforce
“For instance, once I’m on observe or once I’m round cameras or no matter, I attempt to be who I’m. Who I at all times was. You possibly can say I attempt to be humorous… (“However you might be very humorous,” interjected new Sauber team-mate Nico Hulkenberg) Thanks. I do not know. I simply attempt to be like this.
“And within the automobile, I consider I attempt to work very onerous to attain each dream I had. It was the identical in Formulation 3 and Formulation 2. I work very onerous to attain the championships.
“Lots of days. Doing simulator work with the crew. Spending time with engineers. So, I do not assume the strategy will likely be totally different in Formulation 1. That is a bit bit how I describe myself. However we’ll see this season. You will note and I need not let you know as a result of it is even tough for myself to discuss me.”
Hulkenberg felt he and Bortoleto bonded properly throughout their preliminary sponsor commitments collectively within the low season, forward of what’s anticipated to be a tough marketing campaign for the Sauber squad.
Nonetheless, Hulkenberg mentioned Bortoleto had been “quick as hell” in Bahrain testing final month, the place he additionally highlighted his team-mate’s skills as a quick learner.
Elsewhere within the paddock at that occasion, Bortoleto’s willingness to criticise the modifications to Testing of Earlier Automobiles guidelines for 2025, which successfully make him one of the crucial unprepared F1 rookies ever when it comes to mileage in older equipment mixed with restricted pre-season take a look at operating, went down properly when it comes to the teenager displaying a mature character.
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs
Bortoleto now enters F1 with the load of a motorsport-mad nation behind him. He’s properly conscious of the response granted to Argentina’s Franco Colapinto sudden and memorable F1 run final 12 months, which in flip raises expectations on what he would possibly obtain in 2025.
Sauber’s seemingly struggles to flee Q1 on tempo means he could make the anticipated rookie errors away from the strongest glare of the F1 media highlight, however robust outcomes in opposition to a driver as wonderful as Hulkenberg could possibly be the making of a protracted profession on the high degree.
Bortoleto arrives as a rich younger racing driver trying to encourage Brazil by way of his charming character and racing velocity. As an Ayrton Senna-like story goes, it’s already off to a stable begin…
On this article
Alex Kalinauckas
Formulation 1
Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
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