Gabriel Bortoleto is preparing for his debut season in Formula 1 with Sauber in 2025.
The 20-year-old was the fourth rookie to be confirmed on the grid for next season after Oliver Bearman (Haas), Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes). Bortoleto will be the first full-time Brazilian to race in F1 since Felipe Massa in 2017.
Sauber are preparing for their final year under the Swiss outfit’s name as they anticipate the arrival of Audi as a factory team in 2026. Current driver Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will both leave the team at the end of the season, having failed to register a point so far this year.
Sauber confirmed the signing of Nico Hulkenberg on a multi-year deal back in March and speculation with rife for months as to who would partner the German in 2025, with several drivers linked with the second seat.
Mattia Binotto was unsure whether he wanted a young or experienced driver, but in the end, he opted for youth and signed Bortoleto after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on a long-term contract, making him and Hulkenberg the first Audi drivers for when they join the sport.
Gabriel Bortoleto must ‘demonstrate’ he can be a leader alongside Nico Hulkenberg
Bortoleto has a highly experienced teammate in Hulkenberg who will give great guidance to the young talent, but the Brazilian stressed he is already learning some traits many would expect only his teammate to have.
The 20-year-old currently leads the Formula 2 championship with two rounds to go and has helped guide his team Invicta Racing to the front of the pack. Speaking on Esporte na Band, Bortoleto outlined that he is hoping he can take his leadership skills into F1 with Sauber.
“I was leading the team [in F2], I was asking questions that changed the engineers’ ideas and the way they thought about the car’s setup, the way they were going to deal with the training or qualifying,” he said.
“So, I think that’s the one thing I’m learning, this leadership part, I think it’s going to be very important in Formula 1, even more so with the new regulations in two years time.
“It’s going to be important for me to know how to lead the team in a certain way, in the direction I want to it to take. Of course, I have a very experienced partner, Nico.
“Two working well in the same way leading the team in the right direction is better than one doing it alone, and I need to demonstrate this and I’m learning this every time I go to the track with them.”
How will Gabriel Bortoleto perform at Sauber in 2025 given their torrid 2024 season?
Sauber do not seem likely to get themselves off the mark in 2024 with three races to go with their current lack of performance. With not much expected to change in 2025, this will be a huge concern for the team, especially Audi, who will be desperately hoping the team can improve their fortunes before their arrival in 2025.
It is expected to be a learning year for Bortoleto in 2025, who can take a lot on board from teammate Hulkenberg and the key senior figures around the team. George Russell says racing at the back will be ‘good preparation’, as he found out from his time at Williams before moving to Mercedes.
But many do have questions as to whether the Brazilian can make the step up in F1. Rubens Barrichello wonders whether Bortoleto can deal with the pressure and if he is prepared in the right way for the pinnacle of motorsport.
The 20-year-old is clearly a long-term investment and will be one to watch with Audi alongside Hulkenberg. But he will be in for a challenging debut season with Sauber next year.
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