After a seven-year absence, Brazil is back on the Formula 1 grid, with Gabriel Bortoletoannounced today by Sauber for the 2025 season. Since Felipe Massa's retirement at the end of 2017, the country has not had a starting driver in the category — in 2020, Pietro Fittipaldi competed in two races for Haas, but as Romain's reserve Grosjean, who had suffered a serious accident. The 20-year-old from São Paulo will be teammates with Nico Hulkenberg, currently at Haas. He will be the 32nd Brazilian in the history of F1.
Bortoleto's negotiations with the Swiss team progressed to an agreement last weekend, at the São Paulo GP, in Interlagos. He was released from McLaren's development program to be able to sign with Sauber, which was acquired by German manufacturer Audi, which will take permanent control of the team in 2026:
— This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not all sports. Being part of a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor. In addition to simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity the team gave me and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico. Both programs have a proven track record of developing young talent, and I am confident that together we will write our own success story.
Leader of Formula 2, the main category for access to F1, Bortoleto began to be considered by Sauber after a great performance in Monza, Italy, at the beginning of September, when he won after starting from 22nd and last place. Weeks later, the Brazilian continued his consistent season and took the lead in the championship.
The Sauber seat is the penultimate to be defined for 2025 — all that remains is for Racing Bulls to define its second driver for the season's grid to be complete (check). The Swiss team is in last place in this year's Constructors' World Championship. However, it has a promising future, as it was acquired by Audi, which will take control from 2026.
To be chosen by Sauber, Bortoleto had to overcome competition from several drivers who were also considered by the team: Valtteri Bottas (current team starter), Mick Schumacher (Mercedes reserve), Théo Purchaire (F2 champion in 2023) and Franco Colapinto (who took over the Williams seat from Logan Sargeant, but has no seat for 2025).
One of the main obstacles in the negotiation was the fact that the Brazilian was a member of McLaren's development program. The British team saw potential in the Brazilian, but, as they had one of the strongest duos on the grid (Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri), they were unable to promise a starting place for Bortoleto in the short term.
The traditional British team even tried to loan him to Sauber, who only expressed interest in signing the driver if it was permanent. At Interlagos, Andrea Stella, McLaren boss, indicated that he would agree to release the driver:
— McLaren will not prevent Gabriel from driving in F1. Talks are ongoing — said McLaren boss Andrea Stella when asked about the matter.
Bortoleto is managed by A14 Management, a company owned by Fernando Alonso, two-time world champion and current Aston Martin driver.
Who is Gabriel Bortoleto, new Brazilian in F1
Born in São Paulo, Bortoleto started karting at the age of 7 and gained international prominence in 2018, coming in 3rd place in the European and World Junior Kart Championships. In 2020, he made the transition to single-seaters and competed in Italian F4, finishing the season in 5th place. In the following years, he had two seasons in the European Regional Formula
His career took off when he arrived in F3 in 2023. Racing for the Prema team, he was champion in his debut year. In October, he was signed to the McLaren driver academy. This year, he debuted in F2 with Prema, grew throughout the season and took the lead in September.
If he confirms the title this year, Bortoleto will have won F3 and F2 in sequence and in debut seasons. A feat achieved only by names like Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri, three of the exponents of the new generation of F1 and considered prodigies.
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