There was plenty of noise surrounding Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman earlier than they make their full-time F1 debuts in 2025, however each drivers are presently a great distance behind F2 championship chief Gabriel Bortoleto, who has been signed up by Sauber.
Bortoleto will companion Nico Hulkenberg in a brand new line-up for the crew which will likely be taken over by Audi from 2026, though he has gone below the radar among the many new crop of younger drivers on their option to F1.
With Antonelli confirmed to exchange Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, Bearman becoming a member of Haas, Jack Doohan heading to Alpine and doable seats for Liam Lawson or Franco Colapinto throughout the Pink Bull household, Bortoleto will likely be amongst at the least 4 full-time rookies trying to impress within the pinnacle of motorsport.
Is it doable Bortoleto is the perfect of this new era? And what has he carried out to impress Sauber?
Sky Sports activities F1 takes a have a look at Brazil’s newest expertise, who’s supported by Fernando Alonso’s driver administration firm.
Bortoleto’s fast rise to F1
Bortoleto dominated karting in Brazil then examined his expertise in Europe, the place the extent is far larger.
After karting success in 2018 and 2019, he made the soar to racing vehicles in 2020, the place he completed fifth in Italian F4.
Following two strong seasons in System Regional, he got here to many individuals’s consideration in 2023 when he turned F3 champion in his rookie marketing campaign.
His capability to rapidly adapt to totally different single-seater vehicles and get stronger in quicker equipment, which bodes nicely for F1, was seen by McLaren who signed him as much as their Driver Improvement Programme.
Bortoleto began on pole in his first F2 race earlier this 12 months however he had a poor begin to the season, together with three consecutive retirements.
The fourth spherical in Imola showcased his nice pace once more as he took pole and a primary F2 podium, with a maiden victory coming in Austria in June.
From there, Bortoleto confirmed loads of consistency and added one other spectacular Characteristic Race win in Monza in September to his resume, earlier than taking the championship lead on the final occasion in Baku.
Solely two F2 occasions stay – in Qatar and Abu Dhabi – however Bortoleto has already carried out the arduous a part of securing an F1 drive with Sauber.
He now has the chance to turn out to be simply the sixth driver to win the F2 title in his rookie marketing campaign after solely Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Hulkenberg and Hamilton.
Alonso: Bortoleto is an unimaginable expertise
Bortoleto signed for Alonso’s driver administration firm, A14, in 2022 simply earlier than his junior inventory started to rise.
The 20-year-old was not even born when Alonso made his F1 debut in 2001 however will now be racing in opposition to the two-time world champion, who has been maintaining an in depth eye on him.
“He’s an incredible talent and a very humble person as well, which I think that’s the biggest thing that we need to work on,” mentioned Alonso.
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Audi-controlled System 1 crew Sauber introduced they’ve signed F2 star Bortoleto for the 2025 season
“He’s a hard worker, apart from his talent, and I think that’s why in Formula 3 and Formula 2 he had this much progress. I think also he’s someone that is taking things very seriously as well, which at that age is never a guarantee.
“He received the championship as a rookie in System 3, and he is combating for the championship as a rookie in System 2, however with out the take a look at of many different rookies. So he is most likely the one rookie [fighting] within the championship. This was an incredible achievement up to now.”
McLaren not standing in Bortoleto’s manner
After becoming a member of the McLaren Driver Improvement programme in October 2023, Bortoleto has examined the 2022 McLaren and labored on the crew’s simulator throughout this 12 months.
McLaren chief Zak Brown says Bortoleto is a “great racing driver” and crew principal Andrea Stella was not shocked to see Sauber take curiosity of their driver.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Gabriel over the last year and to have been able to contribute to his success and growth as a driver through the McLaren Driver Development programme,” mentioned McLaren in a crew assertion.
Bortoleto would be the first full-time Brazilian F1 driver for the reason that finish of 2017
“We have a strong driver line-up in Lando and Oscar, and therefore we have always been clear that we would not stand in the way of an opportunity for Gabriel to progress whilst we are not in the position to offer him a seat with McLaren.
“We sit up for persevering with to help Gabriel in his marketing campaign for the 2024 FIA System 2 title and want him all the perfect for his profession past F2.”
System 1 returns with the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 22-24, stay on Sky Sports activities F1 the place Max Verstappen might seal the championship. Get Sky Sports activities F1 to look at each race and extra stay
