Within the first of a brand new mini-series the place Motorsport.com is delving into the burgeoning Components 1 careers of the six 2025 rookies, right now we’re introducing new Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
The 20-year-old hails from Sao Paulo and has already constructed a formidable junior motorsport profession.
Like Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri earlier than him, Bortoleto arrives on the high tier having received back-to-back Components 3 (generally known as GP3 when Leclerc and Russell received this title) and Components 2 championships on the first try.
Earlier than then, he produced first rate returns in Italian Components 4 and the Components Regional European championship after shifting 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 business 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 means 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 only seater ladder, as he has been managed by Fernando Alonso’s A14 firm since 2023.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Invicta Racing celebrates after successful the championship
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
A14 helped to safe his berth with the Trident staff with which Bortoleto went on to win that yr’s F3 title – taking two wins and one pole within the course of.
He produced related numbers in successful 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 carry 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 can have no F1 seat openings till the tip of 2026 on the earliest and Bortoleto had nowhere additional to progress up the ladder.
McLaren staff boss Andrea Stella spoke warmly of Bortoleto’s achievements final yr, calling him “humble” and “at no level boastful” – even when the 2024 F2 season began off with a wrestle to adapt to the championship’s new spec automotive.
Alonso took a usually extra bombastic strategy in comparison with his former race engineer.
“I do know there are quite a lot of talks concerning the younger era – quite a lot of rookies additionally subsequent yr, very proficient all of them – however the very best is Gabriel,” the Aston Martin driver mentioned on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix final yr. “He confirmed it on monitor with the identical automobiles.”
When requested by Motorsport.com how he would select to introduce himself to F1 followers on the latest F175 Reside 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 completely different.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber C45
Picture by: Sauber F1 Workforce
“For example, after I’m on monitor or after 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 automotive, I consider I attempt to work very arduous to attain each dream I had. It was the identical in Components 3 and Components 2. I work very arduous to attain the championships.
“Plenty of days. Doing simulator work with the staff. Spending time with engineers. So, I do not suppose the strategy will probably be completely different in Components 1. That is a bit of 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 talk about me.”
Hulkenberg felt he and Bortoleto bonded effectively 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 adjustments to Testing of Earlier Vehicles guidelines for 2025, which successfully make him probably the most unprepared F1 rookies ever when it comes to mileage in older equipment mixed with restricted pre-season take a look at working, went down effectively when it comes to the teenager displaying a mature character.
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
Bortoleto now enters F1 with the burden of a motorsport-mad nation behind him. He’s effectively conscious of the response granted to Argentina’s Franco Colapinto sudden and memorable F1 run final yr, which in flip raises expectations on what he would possibly obtain in 2025.
Sauber’s doubtless 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 sturdy outcomes towards a driver as glorious as Hulkenberg could possibly be the making of an extended profession on the high stage.
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 strong begin…
On this article
Alex Kalinauckas
Components 1
Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
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