Gabriel Bortoleto is itching to get back behind the wheel. After a spectacular debut season the young Brazilian is no longer a rookie this year. On top of that, Sauber turns into an Audi factory team in 2026, which could give Bortoleto a shot at stronger results. Last year he already banked a few points for the Swiss outfit, but he hasn’t yet managed to make a real mark. With the promise of greater competitiveness, the winter break can’t end soon enough for the 21-year-old driver.
Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto signed a multi-year contract with Sauber in 2024. That is how he made his debut in the top tier last year. The Brazilian talent put in several impressive races and regularly matched his more experienced team-mate, F1 veteran Nico Hülkenberg. Still, Bortoleto never finished higher than sixth; the Sauber simply lacked the necessary pace. With Audi’s takeover and new technical regulations on the horizon, he can’t wait to be back on the grid.
‘I just kept thinking: ‘I want to go back’
Bortoleto even joked that a winter break wasn’t really necessary for him, despite its shortened length because of the extra private tests in Barcelona. “It’s only my second season in Formula 1,” he told MotorsportWeek. “If I could, I wouldn’t even take a winter break,” he said with a grin. “Of course it was nice to spend some time with my family.” At the same time Bortoleto admitted that during the winter months he quickly started to feel somewhat ‘useless’.
“After five days at home I felt a bit lost,” he confessed. “I wasn’t in the factory, not with the team. I just kept thinking: ‘I want to go back, I want to get on with it again.’ Fortunately the simulator provided an outlet. “How many days have I sat in the sim? That’s hard to say,” he continued. “But since the factories reopened, I’ve already done about five days. So I certainly haven’t been idle. Every chance I get to go to the team and work, I grab with both hands.”
