Bortoleto on his 'new journey' with Kick Sauber

When Gabriel Bortoleto lines up on the F1 grid in Melbourne next year it will be the culmination of a truly rapid rise – a journey that goes back to Italian Formula 4 and his debut in single seaters in 2020.

At the start of November it was announced that the 20-year-old Brazilian would be joining the 2025 grid full time with Kick Sauber, with the squad understandably excited by the accolades that have already come his way.

INSIGHT: Behind the scenes at Gabriel Bortoleto’s first F1 test with Kick Sauber

He arrived in Formula 3 in 2023, blowing the field away as a rookie and claiming the title in year one. He followed that up with another impressive rookie effort in Formula 2, becoming the fourth driver to go back-to-back in both the third and second tier after Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri. Those are some high calibre drivers to be linked with.

“For me, it’s an honour to be amongst these names,” Bortoleto says reflecting on what he’s achieved. “You can see that these drivers are race winners in Formula 1, strong candidates to be future title contenders, so for me it’s a privilege to be a part of that list.

KIGALI, RWANDA - DECEMBER 13: In this handout provided by Federation Internationale de l'Automobile — Bortoleto secured the 2024 F2 title after winning the F3 title the year before

“They’re drivers that are very strong and an inspiration to the younger generation coming through F2 and F3 looking to do the same as they did in the past. For me, it’s nice to be part of this club. Now it’s about looking forward and seeing what I can do in F1 too.”

The title triumphs were earned with impressive streaks of consistency, something that the 20-year-old made his trademark despite his rookie status in both years.

In F3, he missed the points just three times in 14 races, while in F2, he finished just once outside of the top 10 throughout the year after three early season retirements.

That is no coincidence he says, as he delivered some of his most impressive performances of his career following his integration into Trident in F3 and Invicta Racing in F2.

“It’s not come easy,” he adds. “It has been a lot of hard work from the team and myself and my team mates. With Trident in F3 and Invicta in F2, I don’t know how many hours of simulator we’ve done through these two years. It’s not a coincidence and I think this is now a result of the hard work on mine and the teams’ side.

“I’ve been a part of two teams that have strong engineers and mechanics, everyone worked hard to achieve these results, and I think consistency was one of the biggest qualities across these F3 and F2 seasons. We’ve always been able to be fast. It helps a lot to be consistent, scoring regular points and being in the top fights.”

2024 F2 Champion: Gabriel Bortoleto's Road to Glory

'I think that was the moment'

While in F3 it arrived following a weekend in which he struggled comparatively to his closest rivals in the Championship, the realisation that the title was on in F2 was quite the opposite.

Having spun in Qualifying following an error, Bortoleto rebounded to make history, going from P22 and last to the top step of the podium in the Monza Feature Race.

Standing atop the podium overlooking his Invicta team and the famous Italian circuit’s main straight, the self-belief began to take hold.

“I felt so strong after that, everything was going so well for me. I think that was the moment. We started this year in a difficult position, we didn’t score many points. By Monza, I think I was 38 points behind Hadjar, and I did my only mistake in Qualifying of the year.

“We scored in the Sprint and then won from last in the Feature Race. I thought afterwards that this was the moment I turn things around. Then we went to Baku, and I took the lead of the Championship.”

Last to First: Bortoleto's incredible F2 win at Monza

It was a pivotal moment in the season and during a phase of the year in which the driver market was going into overdrive.

Talks were already going on behind the scenes with Kick Sauber at that point, but Bortoleto insists the conversations were far from a distraction for him.

Instead, the Brazilian even says that they came at the perfect moment, as he went from strength to strength on and off the track. It was a factor that had impressed Mattia Binotto, the figurehead of Sauber and Audi’s F1 transformation. READ MORE: Qatar Investment Authority acquire substantial minority share in future Audi team

“I think the break was quite good for me. The negotiations were done by the last two weekends and I was already announced, but through Monza and Baku, we were still talking so these were the moments where performance was very important.

“Mattia has been very, very good and knew we were fast and knew we had the opportunity to do great work together. With the results I was earning in F2, it was clear for us that we were progressing, and the season had been good. Every race I was progressing as a driver, and we were doing the job better.

“In Qatar and Abu Dhabi, there was less pressure after I’d got the contract, but the pressure of winning was still there, to win the Formula 2 Championship, that pressure was still there.”

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 08: 2024 F2 Drivers Champion Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil — Bortoleto embraces two-time F1 world champion and current Aston Martin racer Fernando Alonso – whose driver management agency the Brazilian is a part of

'It was a weight off my shoulders'

By the time the F2 paddock reconvened in Lusail, Bortoleto’s future was set as he’d inked his F1 deal to join the grid in 2025.

He recalls the moment and feelings he had, joined by those closest to him who have supported and been a part of his journey from the start. It made the momentous signing day even more special, as he explains.

“I was with my girlfriend and had my parents on FaceTime, one of my sponsors was on the phone call as well – that was a very special moment for us.

“They were there and got to be part of me signing my F1 contract. When you have a lot of people behind you, supporting you, reassuring you that you can do it, wishing you good luck, it can mean the pressure is a little higher.

“But that was never something that got me out of focus, it was a positive for me. Having those good people around me, supporting me since I was young – when I won, it was a weight off my shoulders.

“I proved to myself that by winning F3 and F2, I deserve to be here. I didn’t get the deal because of anything else, I did this because I won both Championships, like Piastri, Russell and Leclerc.”

'I want to be able to fight for things and to make my country proud of everything I can achieve'

Representing Brazil in Formula 1 is always an emotive topic for those that make it to the pinnacle, and that is something Bortoleto does not underestimate.

Initially meant to be a one-off tribute for the Imola round to pay respects to his hero, Bortoleto ran an Ayrton Senna-inspired helmet for the remainder of the 2024 season, a huge point of pride for him after gaining permission and encouragement from the Senna family.

At 20-years-old, he will be the youngest Brazilian driver to line up on the Formula 1 grid since fellow Sao Paulo native Felipe Massa joined Sauber in 2002 and become the first full-time Brazilian driver on the F1 grid since Massa bowed out of the sport in 2017.

The support and passion the Brazilian fans already have for Bortoleto was clear to see when he was on the ground in Sao Paulo for the Grand Prix weekend, and he hopes to make them proud.

He won’t settle for that alone however, as he seeks to carve out his own story in F1 in years to come.

“I’m happy to be representing my country, but that doesn’t satisfy me entirely," he says. "I want to be representing my country and doing well, but I want to be winning races in the future, fighting for important things. But first, I need to improve as a driver and progress in F1, that’s the most important thing for me now.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 06: Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil and Invicta Racing (10) — Bortoleto ran a Senna-inspired helmet for the remainder of the 2024 season after gaining permission from the Senna family

“But my aim is higher than that. I’m not only happy being a Formula 1 driver. I want to be able to fight for things and to make my country proud of everything I can achieve.

“We’ll learn new things; I’ll improve because now it’s a different situation. F2 was the focus until I finished the season and that Sunday night.

“Then, when I jumped into the Sauber on Monday to start preparing and doing big briefings and meetings with the team, that was the moment where the focus changed.

“When I jumped into the car for the test, it was so, so good. Zero pressure, just a new start and a new journey. Let’s see how this one goes.”