INTERVIEW: Gabriel Bortoleto on bucking the trend and dreaming big

On his first ever visit to Goodwood, Bortoleto steered the Sauber C32 up the Festival of Speed Hill, a 12-year-old car decked out in the familiar green livery of his current competitor, the C45. But as well as his driving responsibilities he was making the most of opportunities to meet old friends and learn more about the history of F1.

Bortoleto’s passion for F1 isn’t something he tries to downplay or temper for an aura of cool. Confidence in his abilities never strayed into entitlement, even though his junior career would suggest he is accustomed to success — he swiftly followed up victory in Formula 3 in 2023 by claiming the Formula 2 Championship in 2024.

Graduation this year means he now shares a grid with Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, fellow back-to-back junior champions, who are all now multiple Grand Prix winners in leading teams.

But it could have gone the other way. The two F2 victors before Bortoleto, Théo Porchaire and Felipe Drugovich, failed to get a chance in F1. “It was very difficult,” Bortoleto said, on breaking that unhappy pattern. “Obviously, I think winning F2 in my rookie season helped a lot, you know, to convince the people in Formula 1 that I deserve the seat.

“They saw an opportunity to have a young driver that had been doing well in the junior series, I saw an opportunity of an amazing project like Audi, and when two things are meant to be together, it happens.”

Driving an F1 car is an experience so few people have ever had, but even Bortoleto, who does it every week, spoke on the sensation with an awe that was impossible to conceal, like his new day job is still a dream come true. “I love the cars, I love the atmosphere, and driving is the most amazing part of it. 

“I don't think I can explain. I mean it's just something crazy, you know, so much downforce, so much engine power. It’s just a beast and you need to drive it to the limit.”

Of course, the new thrills come with new responsibilities, and that’s where the step up to F1 is most keenly felt. “Our schedule is so busy, and we always have things to do and sponsorship work, media and everything.

“I feel like this can be very demanding on our schedule, but we need to somehow make it work, together with practice and talking with engineers and working together. It's fine, it’s just part of the work and the job we need to do, but it's very different than F2.”

Piastri, Leclerc and Russell have shown that the adjustment can be made, and their example gives Bortoleto some measure of confidence in this next step of his career. “Confidence in the sense that, the people that did this, they are successful drivers in Formula 1 now, but it doesn't change my life, you know.

“[Winning F2 is] just a result I had in my career. I'm proud of it, but now I need to look forward and not to the past because if we keep living from history, it doesn't work like that. I just want to be great in Formula 1 and do the best I can and deliver the results the team expects from me, and hopefully one day, be one of the greats.”

Greats, like his idol and countryman Ayrton Senna, whom Bortoleto has cited as one of the reasons he wanted to race in F1. It’s an ambitious target, but the rookie has some impressive backers. Bortoleto has Fernando Alonso as a manager, the two-time World Champion signed him to his A14 firm in 2022 and helped him secure his seat in F3.

Max Verstappen has also been a vocal supporter, the two practiced on simulators and played video games together while the Brazilian was in F3, a hobby they’ve continued. Speaking before Sauber had announced its 2025 driver line-up, the four-time World Champion said he would have signed Bortoleto already.

And at Sauber, he also has the opportunity to learn from veteran team-mate, Hülkenberg. “Nico is a great guy. He has been very good to me, and since the beginning of the year I'm learning a lot from him and honestly, [I’m] just looking forward to working with him and sharing success together.”

The team has certainly been riding high since Hülkenberg claimed his first podium at the British Grand Prix just one week after Bortoleto picked up his first points in F1 with an eighth-place finish in Austria. 

Going into the second half of the season, the rookie’s goals now have a sharper focus. “Well, Nico got a podium so I would love to get a podium as well. Obviously it’s not easy and the conditions need to go all right to have that happen, but I mean, I always dream big, right?”

As Audi’s arrival into the sport creeps closer, Bortoleto’s excitement is only increasing with the prospect of racing for such a storied name in motorsport. “Oh, it's amazing! Audi is such a big brand, they won every single thing they did apart from Formula 1 because they will just start next year.

“So I'm sure that in Formula 1 we can be very successful as well, and I'm glad that I'm the first Audi driver together with Nico. Hopefully we can make very good history together.”

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Photography by Pete Summers, Jordan Butters, Rob Cooper, Jack Beasley and Tom Baigent.