It's now official: Sauber will completely change its driver line-up for the next Formula 1 season.
Young Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto will enter Formula 1 in 2025, after signing a multi-year contract with the Sauber/Audi team. This recruitment follows the announcement of the departure of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu from the team.
Bortoleto, current Formula 2 championship leader and reigning F3 champion, won the battle for the starting position against veteran Bottas, a driver with an impressive record of ten race victories. At just 20 years old, he will join the Swiss team alongside Nico Hülkenberg, creating an unprecedented duo for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, a period when the team will become the official representative of Audi in F1.
A journey marked by success and prestigious collaborations
Bortoleto's journey to F1 is marked by strategic alliances. In 2022, he joined the management agency of famous driver Fernando Alonso, A14, before joining McLaren's young driver program the following year. This collaboration allowed him to take his first laps in an F1 single-seater during a test at the Red Bull Ring, at the controls of a 2022 McLaren.
Mattia Binotto, Sauber Operations Director and Technical Director, commented on the signing: “Gabriel has already proven in the junior categories that he has the qualities of a champion. His presence marks the start of an adventure towards success for Sauber and Audi. With Nico and Gabriel, we have a perfect balance between experience and youth, an asset for our future.”
Bortoleto: an ambitious project and a vision of success
For his part, Bortoleto is enthusiastic about joining Sauber/Audi: “This is one of the most exciting projects in all of sport. Being part of a team with the heritage of Sauber and the vision of Audi is a true honor. I want to grow with this ambitious project and reach the top of F1.”
The young driver is also grateful to the team and his experienced teammate, Nico Hülkenberg, for this opportunity to train alongside an experienced driver.
Audi in F1: a long-term strategy
Gernot Dollner, Chairman of the Board of Sauber Motorsport AG, highlighted the progress of this project under the leadership of Mattia Binotto: “The recruitment of Gabriel marks a turning point and demonstrates our long-term commitment to F1. We are witnessing a new generation of drivers, and Gabriel is one of the most promising talents of this wave.”
In 2025, Bortoleto will join a new generation of rookies, alongside Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, Jack Doohan at Alpine and Ollie Bearman at Haas. He will also be the first Brazilian driver in F1 since Felipe Massa, who retired in 2017.
An impressive F2 season in 2024
Currently with Invicta Racing in F2, Bortoleto dominates the championship with two victories and several podiums, ahead of his main rival Isack Hadjar by 4.5 points. His rise to F1 constitutes a logical step in his career, consolidating his status as a talent to watch in the world of motorsport.
The Brazilian is now ready to face this new challenge in F1, as he heads towards a promising 2025 F1 season with Sauber/Audi.
