Gabriel Bortoleto had an eventful Qatar Grand Prix in Formula 2 as he tries to wrap up the title before his Formula 1 debut next season.
Sauber decided that Gabriel Bortoleto was the right driver to partner Nico Hulkenberg in 2025.
It means Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas will be taking part in their final race for the team in Abu Dhabi, but they can leave with their heads held high after both securing their best results of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Zhou finally scored Sauber’s first points of the year, while Bottas was very unlucky to miss out on a top-10 finish after being hit by Liam Lawson.
Bortoleto knows he’s got a tough task up against Hulkenberg next year, but will enter F1 with plenty of confidence.
The Brazilian is in a very different position in Formula 2 with the Invicta Racing team.
Heading into the penultimate race weekend of the season, Bortoleto had a 3.5-point lead over Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar.
That deficit was reduced to just half a point going into the last race in Abu Dhabi after a dramatic Feature Race on Sunday.
Bortoleto has the full support of Brazil as he prepares to become their first full-time F1 driver since Felipe Massa.
Massa has now sent a message to Bortoleto on Instagram, as have fellow Brazilians Felipe Drugovich and Nelson Piquet Jr.
Felipe Massa sends message to Gabriel Bortoleto after the Qatar Grand Prix weekend
Making a statement on social media after a controversial Feature Race, Bortoleto said: “I won on the track, but I was penalised for breaking a pit entry rule by five seconds. I pushed as hard as I could and managed to salvage third place. I’m still leading the Championship!💪🏼 Let’s focus on Abu-Dhabi and do everything we can to bring this title back to Brazil! Let’s go!”
Massa replied to the 20-year-old and said: “What a race you did @gabrielbortoleto! Too bad about the 5 [second penalty] little brother! We’re going all out for the last one to bring home that trophy!”
Aston Martin reserve and previous F2 champion Drugovich also replied and told Bortoleto that he, ‘sent too much!’ after picking up a decisive penalty.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know
Piquet Jr. also posted on his Instagram story and said: “Don’t be upset @gabrielbortoleto, you drove too hard!”
Bortoleto qualified well to start on the front row of the grid and recovered to finish fifth in the Sprint Race, one place behind Hadjar after the reserve grid meant he started P9.
However, he was leading the race in the Feature Race before one misjudgment from the team ultimately cost him a spot on the top step of the podium.
How Gabriel Bortoleto made one error that cost him F2 victory in Qatar
There were several safety cars during the Formula 2 Feature Race that impacted how the race was run.
An early stoppage stopped any of the drivers on the alternative strategy from benefitting from starting on the hard tyre which cost future Haas driver Oliver Bearman.
Bortoleto found himself in the lead and when a virtual safety car was called, the Brazilian sensed an opportunity to change his tyres.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Sauber from team principal to 2026 Audi future
However, any stop under a VSC can’t be considered a mandatory tyre change and Bortoleto quickly swerved to avoid going down the pit lane.
Unfortunately, he went the wrong side of a bollard and was given a five-second time penalty.
The 20-year-old then put in the quickest laps he could to open up a gap, but could only finish 4.5 seconds ahead of Hadjar.
| Driver | Team | F1 Team | Points |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Invicta Racing | McLaren* | 188.5 |
| Isack Hadjar | Campos Racing | Red Bull/RB | 188 |
| Paul Aron | Hitech Pulse-Eight | Alpine | 163 |
*Gabriel Bortoleto part of McLaren’s junior programme this year before joining Sauber in 2025
It meant he was relegated to third, with Hadjar second and new Alpine reserve driver Paul Aron winning his first race of the season.
Bortoleto and Hadjar go into the final race weekend of the campaign as close as they can be which makes their final Feature Race essential viewing, especially for anyone with an interest in how quick the Brazilian might be in F1.
Meanwhile, Hadjar is fighting for a potential RB seat which might be up for grabs in 2025.
