Following Felipe Massa, Brazil has another Formula 1 driver who quickens the hearts of fans. Gabriel Bortoleto is gearing up for his first home race at Interlagos, aiming to score points for his home crowd.
Brazil has produced three multiple world champions in Formula 1 with Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Nelson Piquet – the father-in-law of Max Verstappen. Felipe Massa was even virtually world champion in 2008, until Lewis Hamilton overtook Timo Glock in the last corner of the season finale in São Paulo, coming agonizingly close to a ninth Brazilian title.
Since Massa’s departure in 2018, Brazilian fans have had to wait a long time for a compatriot in the premier class, but this weekend they can finally cheer again. For Gabriel Bortoleto, the 21-year-old rookie from Sauber, his first Grand Prix on home soil is a dream come true. “Growing up in São Paulo, I always dreamed of racing at Interlagos. To do that as a Formula 1 driver is something I’m really looking forward to. It feels almost unreal,” he says in Sauber’s race weekend preview. “All the work that my family and I have done over the years has paid off. I can’t wait to finally hit the track for my own people.
Scoring Points
Yet Bortoleto knows he must put sentiment aside as soon as the helmet goes on. “That being said, it doesn’t change my focus for the weekend: I’m fully focused on the race and delivering performance,” Bortoleto assures. “It’s another Sprint, which means there’s less time to get everything in the best possible shape.”
After a modest start, Bortoleto is gradually emerging as a revelation among the rookies, with his experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg often having to concede defeat. He has scored points five times so far, with a tenth place during the previous race in Mexico City and a sixth place in Hungary as his best result. “We’ve had a few good results as a team lately, so the goal is to keep working, seize every opportunity and hopefully score another top ten here at home,” Bortoleto sounds combative.
