Gabriel Bortoleto is set to become Brazil’s first full-time Formula 1 driver for eight years when he starts his rookie campaign with Sauber in 2025.
Successive triumphs in Formula 2 and Formula 3 mean that he enters the year as one of the most exciting prospects in recent times.
Bortoleto was considered phenomenal in karting and has continued a similar vein of form in single-seater racing.
He will be competing for the team that just finished last in the Constructors’ Championship and have been trending in a negative direction for a while.
Bortoleto will benefit from having a more experienced teammate with Nico Hulkenberg joining from Haas for at least two years. At the age of 37, he brings plenty to the table.
Bortoleto believes he must demonstrate leadership next to Hulkenberg if he wants to be the main man in the future, adding a little extra to his list of things to achieve in his rookie season.
Felipe Massa says Gabriel Bortoleto has a similar ‘style’ to Max Verstappen
Having a Brazilian driver back in Formula 1 is going to be massive for the country and the sport with them now having someone to cheer on.
Sauber probably won’t be in contention for points at every race but there’s a lot they can learn before the new technical regulations arrive for 2026.
Speaking to Motorsport Brasil fellow countryman Felipe Massa mentioned comparisons to Max Verstappen when discussing the rookie.
“I saw that he was a very fast, very talented driver and he did different things like overtaking and he was even more aggressive than the other drivers,” he said. “A very impressive speed.
“He also made some mistakes, right? This logically happens even with drivers who have his style. An aggressive driver, a very fast driver like we saw happen with Verstappen like we saw happen with so many drivers who have a similar style.”
Will Gabriel Bortoleto be better than Nico Hulkenberg?
There are few drivers that show little regression in their 30s but Hulkenberg is a bit of an exception to that rule.
He has been exceptional since returning to the grid in 2023 following a few years away and has been superb mainly at making Q3 consistently in a car which hasn’t always deserved to.
He’s a formidable opponent for Bortoleto and he won’t be expected to beat him from round one at the Australian Grand Prix.
If he can be close to his German rival then he will be doing well against a driver who has been around for 15 years now.
READ MORE: Gabriel Bortoleto told he must copy key Ayrton Senna behaviour during his debut F1 season with Sauber
The 19-year-old will have big expectations for himself but bringing his team closer to the midfield and remaining competitive would see next year go down as a success.
Beating Hulkenberg would be both a surprise and an excellent representation of his talents and may even earn him a look from other teams.
