Gabriel Bortoleto

Gabriel Bortoleto brings to Formula 1 a driving style that is unmistakably Brazilian in its flair and aggression, yet tempered by a surprising level of technical discipline for such a young driver. His approach to racing is characterised by bold overtaking moves, strong braking performance, and an instinctive feel for the car's balance that allows him to make rapid adjustments to changing conditions. Bortoleto thrives in wheel-to-wheel combat, showing the kind of racing instinct that cannot be taught.

As a Formula 2 champion, Bortoleto arrives in F1 with a strong foundation in tyre management and race strategy, skills that are directly transferable to the demands of grand prix racing. His qualifying pace has been encouraging in his early F1 outings, showing an ability to extract performance from the Sauber chassis even as the team navigates a transitional period. His feedback to engineers is enthusiastic and detailed, and his willingness to push the limits of the car in search of performance is evident in every session. Bortoleto's natural speed and competitive fire recall the great Brazilian racing tradition, and he is determined to uphold it.

Born on 14 October 2004 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Gabriel Bortoleto carries the enormous weight of expectation that comes with being the first Brazilian driver in Formula 1 since Felipe Massa's departure. Growing up in the country that produced Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Nelson Piquet, Bortoleto was inspired by Brazil's rich motorsport heritage from his earliest days in karting. His talent was evident immediately, and he progressed rapidly through South American and European karting before entering the single-seater pathway.

Bortoleto's breakthrough came in Formula 3, where he demonstrated the raw speed and racecraft that attracted the attention of the McLaren young driver programme. Under McLaren's mentorship, he stepped up to Formula 2 for 2024 and delivered a championship-winning campaign that confirmed his readiness for the top level. His title victory was built on a combination of brilliant qualifying laps, aggressive but controlled race drives, and a maturity in managing the pressure of a championship fight that impressed the entire paddock.

For 2025, Bortoleto secured a race seat at Sauber alongside Nico Hulkenberg, marking the beginning of his grand prix career and the start of a new chapter for Brazilian drivers in F1. While the Sauber team is in a transitional phase ahead of its transformation into the Audi works team, Bortoleto views this as an opportunity to grow and develop within a team that will soon have manufacturer backing. His arrival has sparked enormous excitement in Brazil, where a new generation of fans is following F1 more closely than at any point since Massa's prime years.