« I’m not in F1 by chance » – Bortoleto enjoys his first points

Gabriel Bortoleto reached a decisive milestone in his Formula 1 career at the Austrian Grand Prix. The Brazilian Sauber driver scored his first championship points with an eighth-place finish at the Red Bull Ring, a circuit that had already favored him during his first F2 victory last season.

First Q3 of the season

Already on Saturday, Bortoleto had reached a new level by qualifying for Q3 for the first time this season. In Q1, the Brazilian rookie immediately showed his prowess by placing his Sauber in eighth position, ahead of his teammate Nico Hülkenberg who finished in the elimination zone. This performance in Q1 confirmed the good feelings of the Brazilian on this Austrian track where he had claimed his first F2 victory in 2024.

In Q2, Bortoleto continued his momentum. Despite a red flag caused by a grass fire that interrupted the session, the 20-year-old driver even managed to climb to a provisional third position during the final decisive minutes before dropping back to eighth. His performance allowed him to advance to Q3, leaving behind experienced drivers like Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon.

His qualification in eighth position on the grid represented his best performance since the start of the season.

A well-controlled race despite the obstacles

The start of the race was perfectly managed by Bortoleto, who maintained his eighth position. While Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were battling at the front of the race, the Brazilian cleverly managed his pace, staying clear of the troubles that would shake up the pack.

The accident between Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen on the first lap completely reshuffled the cards. Verstappen, hit by the Mercedes driver who braked too late at turn 3, was forced to retire for the first time this season. This crash of the three-time world champion opened up opportunities for the midfield drivers.

Sauber cleverly played the strategy by reversing the order of stops between Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg. This decision allowed the rookie to chase points with fresher tires. Indeed, the nine-second gap between him and Fernando Alonso quickly narrowed thanks to this tire differential.

« We did a good job in the pits, and also with the strategy. I feel like we did everything we could. I just hope we can continue like this, have a weekend like this at every race… I think we can score more points this season and achieve very good results. », he commented after the race.

The unforgettable face-to-face with his mentor

One of the highlights of the race took place in the final laps. Bortoleto found himself battling with Fernando Alonso, who is part of his management team and has supported him in his journey through F3 and F2. The duel between the mentor and his protégé then enlivened the end of the race.

Reflecting on this epic confrontation, Bortoleto confided: I felt like I was living through a very intense battle, probably the most intense I’ve experienced in F1 so far. We were on the outside, on the inside, all while managing the blue flags with [Lando] Norris and then Oscar [Piastri].

Despite his repeated attacks, the Spanish veteran held firm, ultimately maintaining his seventh place. But Bortoleto had no reason to be ashamed of his performance. His eighth place not only earned him four valuable points but, more importantly, the very first of his young Formula 1 career.

Still carried by the moment, he concluded on this confrontation: « It was a completely crazy race. Just a great battle, and I’m thrilled to have been able to fight with Fernando until the end for those points. »

« I am not in F1 by chance »

Asked about the relief of finally scoring his first points, the Sauber driver responded with conviction: “I always knew I was capable of it. I’m not in Formula 1 by chance.”

If he was pleased to have unblocked the score, the Brazilian emphasized that this result was above all for his team: « It’s good to finally be in the points, more for the team than for myself, because it really deserves to have points », he declared.

Indeed, far from being satisfied with it, Bortoleto keeps much higher goals in mind: « As for me, I’m here because I want to win one day. I’m not going to be happy just because I’ve scored some points, you know? But it’s already an achievement. We should rejoice in every small accomplishment, and we are heading in the right direction to achieve our biggest dream, which will one day be winning championships. », he confided.

This performance by the Brazilian also marks a turning point for Sauber. With Hülkenberg finishing ninth after starting last on the grid, the Swiss team scored a total of six points with both cars, a result that reinforces the team’s positive momentum since Barcelona.