Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto has been signed to drive for the Audi-owned Sauber crew subsequent 12 months.
The 20-year-old, who’s main this 12 months’s Components 2 championship, will accomplice .
The choice implies that Sauber’s present drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, won’t be in F1 subsequent season.
Sauber chief working and technical officer Mattia Binotto mentioned it had been a “easy resolution with no doubts in any respect”.
The crew selected Bortoleto as a result of that they had been “impressed by his profession to date,” Binotto mentioned.
Bortoleto, who was champion in Components 3 in his debut season in 2023 earlier than transferring into F2 this 12 months, had “already demonstrated within the junior classes that he has what it takes to be a successful driver,” Binotto mentioned.
Bortoleto is managed by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and has been part of the McLaren driver growth programme.
“I’ve been asking to some drivers who’ve been driving with you and everybody was very impressed. But in addition as a result of he’s very younger,” added Binotto.
“For our journey for the Audi F1 crew, rising along with a younger driver was essential.
“Once we met I used to be instantly impressed by the angle. So not solely as a driver we determined, however as an individual. He can actually be a frontrunner for the crew.”
Bortoleto mentioned: “This is without doubt one of the most enjoyable tasks in motorsport, if not in all of sports activities.
“Past merely being a member, I goal to develop with this formidable undertaking and attain the top of motorsport.
“Mattia was tremendous assured in regards to the Audi undertaking and the way I may develop as a driver as properly.
“I see loads myself on this undertaking. I wanted to persuade him rather more than he wanted to persuade me, however I recognized loads (with it).”
Binotto, who was Ferrari crew principal from 2019-22, .
He mentioned in a video launched by Sauber on Wednesday: “It can take a couple of seasons to change into a a aggressive crew. Our goal shall be to be aiming to combat for a championship in 2030, and even that may be very formidable.”
The crew launched separate statements thanking them for his or her work.
Bottas, who made his debut in F1 for Williams in 2013 and received 10 races in his 5 years at Mercedes as team-mate to Lewis Hamilton from 2017-21, mentioned: “A state of affairs like that is by no means straightforward for anybody. However in any case the great and in-depth discussions we had previously weeks, we realised that the situations to develop this undertaking collectively weren’t met.
“These previous years with the crew have been an unbelievable journey, stuffed with progress, challenges, and unforgettable moments.
“Although it’s time to maneuver on, I’ll at all times carry a bit of this crew with me, and I sit up for seeing what the longer term holds for us each.”
Bortoleto offers Brazil a full-time presence on the F1 grid since Felipe Massa left the game on the finish of 2017.
The nation is without doubt one of the most profitable in F1, with former drivers together with a number of world champions Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna.
