Gabriel Bortoleto arrived in Formula 1 off the back of two consecutive championship wins in Formula 3 and Formula 2. Moving to the pinnacle of motorsport has presented itself as quite the challenge for the young rookie, who admitted that the new circuits are the least of his worries compared to the daunting and relentless media and commercial obligations he now has.
When asked about how he’s been adapting to the tracks now a part of his schedule, he admitted that there are other “more complicated” parts of his rookie season that make more of a difference.
“Well, honestly I think so far it’s been quite good. You know, the new tracks I have been able to adapt. I think I have a very strong team-mate so, you know, it’s also good data reference to see new tracks. And to learn new things.
“But yeah, I don’t think, you know, new tracks is actually the biggest topic for a rookie. I think there is other things that can involve in your rookie season that is a bit more complicated.”
When pressed for specifics, he specified that responsibilities off the track had proven to be a major challenge.
“I think the media. In F2, you don’t have any of these things. So basically you get to the track, Thursday you go talk to your engineers, you have your free time, you think about only racing and that’s it. I think in F1 you have so many more commitments to attend, for sponsors, for media.”
Highlighting the vast differences, he admitted that he’s never experienced such a thing.
“That normally in all the other series, you know, I started racing when I was six. And for, let’s say, almost 15 years I have never had anything like this before.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“So you basically, in a few months that I’m racing in Formula 1, you need to get used to all this media and time allocation for you guys and for the sponsors and still perform the best you can on track.
“Like in F2, you know, you arrive, you talk to your engineer, you go take a coffee, you relax, you watch some onboards, you have free time. Like, you have more time to do things.
“Here it’s like, you have a time to arrive, you have a time to talk to your engineer, then if you go one minute later, Will [Ponissi, team PR] here will kick me. No, but he will take me, you know, bring me to the media stuff and then you need to be very precise on timings and everything.
“So it becomes that you don’t have so much time to just reset your mind and refresh and have this free time. And sometimes this can be overloading work,” Bortoleto explained.
The 20-year-old’s 2025 campaign has seen multiple Q2 appearances and his best result came at the Spanish Grand Prix where he finished 12th after starting in the same position.
The Brazilian is, however, coping well.
“That for me has been working quite fine, you know. I think every race I have been doing this year, I have been getting more and more used to it. And actually I’ve been dealing with it quite well so far.”
