There is no doubt for anyone that Brazil is one of the most traditional countries in world motorsport. In Formula 1the main category of motor sport, there are eight titles (two of Emerson Fittipaldithree of Nelson Piquet and three of Ayrton Senna), which gives the country the status of third biggest winner in history, behind the United Kingdom (20) and Germany (12).
Furthermore, for many experts, Brazil is the country where the greatest driver of all time was born, São Paulo native Ayrton Senna, who dominated F1 between the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s alongside the Frenchman and biggest rival Alain Prost.
But all of this was not enough for the country to have a starting driver in the premier category of world motorsport for the last seven seasons. In fact, since Senna's death, which occurred 30 years ago, at the 1994 San Marino GP, only Rubens Barrichello e Felipe Massa managed to stand out in F1, both with 11 victories and runner-up status in the world.
With the exception of the two, many national names passed through the category with little or no prominence, but the situation worsened even with Massa's retirement at the end of 2017. It had been decades since the country left the grid, but that's what happened from then on. from the start of the 2018 season.
From then on, just Pietro Fittipaldi defended Brazilian colors in F1. There were only two races in 2020, replacing Romain Grosjean, after a serious accident that almost took the Frenchman's life at the Bahrain GP that year. Haas reserve, Emerson Fittipaldi's grandson competed in the last two races of the season, but, with a very bad car, he didn't achieve much.
“We can say that there is a tripod that can explain this. Firstly, Brazil is economically weak, with the devaluation of the national currency and no solid single-seater categories to reveal drivers. Furthermore, the funnel has become narrower to enter F1. In the golden years of Emerson, Nelson and Ayrton, there were much more than 20 cars, and there were small teams that promoted emerging talents. Nowadays, there are 20 seats, most of which are already 'reserved' for paying drivers”, highlighted Luis Ferrari, founding partner of Ferrari Promo, a boutique agency with an emphasis on the motorsport market, and columnist for Sports Machine.
“And, finally, there was the entry of 'new money', that is, countries that were not even close to Formula 1 began to emerge with more strength. In recent years we have seen drivers racing with Russian money, Thailand with Albon [Alex Albon, piloto da Williams]there was an Indian hitting the post, the strong presence of Chinese, Arab and United States interest, which were peripheral in the world of motorsport”, he added.
Drop in interest
Without a Brazilian driver on the grid, which was already difficult to maintain after the death of Ayrton Senna, it became practically impossible: the interest of ordinary Brazilians in Formula 1. Nor the presence of global idols such as Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and, more recently, Max Verstappenwere enough. And everything fell. From the audience to the interest of sponsors, through Globowhich decided to stop broadcasting at the end of 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Band assuming the rights from 2021.
Of course there are exceptions, such as the final third of the season in Band's first year as owner of broadcasts in the Brazilian market. The battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, which saw the Briton win in Brazil and celebrate in the best Ayrton Senna style, and which ended up being decided on the last lap of the last race, giving the Dutchman his first world title (with much controversy to this day), It is an example of a moment in which F1 once again created some of the sparkle in the eyes of Brazilian fans that was seen in the past.
But of course this doesn't even come close to the interest that the category can generate again from the moment there is once again a Brazilian to support. The signature of Gabriel Bortoleto to be the holder of Kick Cleanwhich, from 2026, will race as the factory team of Audimay once again change Sunday mornings in the Brazilian market.
“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not all sports. Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor. My goal is to grow with this ambitious project and reach the top of motorsport”, said the 32nd Brazilian driver to reach Formula 1.
The new hope
But who is Gabriel Bortoleto?
Born in São Paulo (SP), in October 2004, Gabriel Bortoleto Oliveira is 20 years old. Like most drivers, he started his karting career in 2012 and made his debut in a single-seater in 2020, in the Italian Formula 4 Championship. From then on, everything happened very quickly.
In 2021, the São Paulo native began competing in the European Regional Formula. Then, at the end of 2022, his career began to be managed by none other than Fernando Alonso, two-time F1 champion and who is still active at 43 years old, driving for Aston Martin.
In 2023, it was his turn to debut in Formula 3. In his first year, Bortoleto became champion. And, more than that, he signed with the McLaren Driver Development Program, one of the most traditional teams in F1 and where his idol on the track, Ayrton Senna, made history with three world titles.
The relationship with Senna, in fact, is close. The helmet used by Bortoleto is very similar to that of the three-time champion, and the rookie has even raced with the famous “S” of the Senna brand printed on it.
Then came 2024 and the chance to drive in Formula 2, the last step of access to Formula 1. Also in his first year, Bortoleto again attracted attention, especially in the Italian GP, where he started in 22nd and last position to win the race and go down in history as the first to achieve this feat in F2. At the moment, with only two stages left until the end of the season, they are the leader in the classification table.
The last step was the test carried out with the MCL 36, the car with which McLaren competed in the 2022 F1 season. Bortoleto's results were the best ever achieved by a rookie, which impressed the British team.
From then on, McLaren began to see the Brazilian as a serious possibility to be the team's starter in 2027 (since Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the current starters, have contracts already signed for 2025 and 2026), agreeing to release him for Kick Sauber for just two years (2025 and 2026). Kick Sauber, in turn, wanted to take the Brazilian away from its rival and have him for at least four years, that is, until 2028.
Last week, McLaren announced the end of its relationship with the driver, releasing him from its Driver Development Program at the end of the current season “to pursue a new opportunity in his career”. It was the last obstacle being removed from the front. Bortoleto will team up with German Nico Hulkenberg at Kick Sauber from 2025.
“We are currently witnessing a generational change in Formula 1, with young drivers making an immediate impact. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we secured one of those top talents. His signing highlights Audi's long-term strategy and commitment to Formula 1,” said Gernot Döllner, president of Sauber.
“Gabriel Bortoleto followed the ideal path, a very solid trajectory abroad, and really attracted attention in Formula 3 and Formula 2, with the right to a title on his debut in the first and the real possibility of a title on his debut in the second”, he recalled. Louis Ferrari.
Off the slopes
If on the tracks, Gabriel Bortoleto has been considered the new hope of national motorsport, outside of them the driver has also stood out with commercial agreements, including with Brazilian companies that already invest in him.
Currently, Bortoleto has sponsorship contracts with two national companies, the Banco BRB (financial segment) and the Porto (insurance), and other international ones, such as Snapdragon (technology), Barthelemy (fashion) and Ebury (fintech specialized in foreign exchange and international payments).
“Supporting drivers like Gabriel Bortoleto is very important for Porto. Over the last 79 years, we have built our essence based on automobile culture, and Formula 1 is the culmination of this. It is an extremely relevant territory for us, as well as being a way of contributing to the development of the sport and encouraging the dream of seeing a Brazilian again in the elite of Brazilian motorsport”, commented Luiz Arruda, Porto's commercial and marketing vice-president.
With the arrival of F1, the tendency is for renewals with these brands to be natural, and new companies to start looking at Brazilians with different eyes.
Furthermore, the return of a Brazilian to the grid who could even fight for victories (the last was by Rubens Barrichello, for Brawn GP, in the 2009 Italian GP) with the actual entry of Audi in 2026 and a series of changes of rules, should once again heat up the F1 market in Brazil, attracting even fans who miss the good times of Emerson, Piquet and Senna.
Add to this the fact that the category could return to the hands of the country's main broadcaster, Globo, in 2026, and the combo to boost Formula 1 here again will be complete. The record attendance at Interlagos Autodrome no GP Sao Paulo held last weekend and the excitement at seeing the car that gave Ayrton Senna his second world championship in 1990 being driven by Lewis Hamilton made it clear that the love for the category never ended.
“Just as Argentines embraced the Franco Colapinto 'project' in Formula 1, there is a chain around Gabriel, with different brands. Even those who don't actually sponsor him want a Brazilian back in F1 because they know it's good for the market. The entire motorsport market flourishes when you have a driver among the 20 possible in the main category. The races are on the rise, the coverage has more articles outside the niche of the sport and so on”, said Luis Ferrari.
“I hope he stays in the category for a long time. We know that, in Formula 1, it is difficult to get into, but it is much more difficult to survive the second, third year. So, may he continue to develop and show the same evolution and learning curve that he showed in Formula 3 and Formula 2. His success will benefit the entire motorsport ecosystem in Brazil”, he added.
It is not possible to know whether Gabriel Bortoleto is aware of the size of the responsibility he will carry from March 2025 in the Kick Sauber cockpit. But for a driver who has achieved everything he has achieved so far, this success in the main category of world motorsport really seems to be a matter of time.
