Who is Gabriel Bortoleto, the newcomer at Sauber in 2025?
Gabriel Bortoleto will join Sauber in 2025, marking a new milestone in his career. The young Brazilian driver has made a name for himself in the junior categories before taking the step up to the top category, but who is he really?
In 2023, Gabriel Bortoleto was thrust into the spotlight after winning the Formula 3 championship title with Trident. A remarkable season that confirmed his potential, marked by two victories and several podium finishes.
His first steps in karting
It was well before this feat that the Brazilian began to build a reputation, as it all started when he started karting in Brazil, in the Sulbrasileiro championship. With an exceptional year in 2018, punctuated by podiums at the European and World championships, he quickly established himself as one of the most promising young talents of his generation.
Toward the single-seater
His transition to single-seaters in 2020, with Prema Powerteam in Formula 4, is a decisive step. There, he stands out for his consistency and strong performances, including a victory at Mugello and a total of five podiums, allowing him to finish fifth in the championship, ahead of drivers like Sebastián Montoya.
In 2021, he joined the Formula Regional European championship with FA Racing, the team founded by Fernando Alonso, his mentor. Although his beginnings were marked by difficulties, he manages to find his pace, finishing the season with several podiums and a fifteenth place in the overall standings.
But it was in 2022, by joining R-ace GP, that Bortoleto reached a new level. He clinched his first victory at Spa-Francorchamps and quickly became a driver to watch. It was also around this time that he took part in Formula 3 tests with the Trident team, an experience that propelled him towards a full-time position in the discipline for the 2023 season. Right from his first laps in F3, he stood out with a victory in Sakhir, a pole position in Melbourne, and several podium finishes that allowed him to clinch the title at the end of the year.
Entering the McLaren program.
The year 2023 also marks a turning point in his career when he joins McLaren’s junior programme, launched in April of that same year. Although the British brand strongly believes in his potential, it is clear that no place in Formula 1 is available for him in the short term, which does not prevent the team from supporting him in his progression.
A new challenge in Formula 2 and the move towards F1.
As the Formula 3 champion, Bortoleto is heading to Formula 2 in 2024 with Invicta Virtuosi Racing. There, he confirms his potential with a first victory in Spielberg and a podium in Imola. However, his future takes on a new dimension on November 6, 2024, when he is officially announced by Kick Sauber to join Formula 1 in 2025 alongside Nico Hülkenberg, a decisive step in the career of the young Brazilian.
Remains to be seen whether the hopes placed in him will materialize and if he will be able to perform at Sauber while contributing to the team’s development as part of the Audi project.
