Gabriel Bortoleto is catching all the attention after the Brazilian took the lead of the Formula 2 championship with two rounds to go.
Bortoleto is into his debut season in the category having won the Formula 3 title at the first attempt in 2023, winning two races and grabbing six podiums to beat Zak O’Sullivan by 45 points.
The 19-year-old was later signed by the McLaren Driver Development Programme and joined Invicta Racing for the 2024 Formula 2 campaign.
After what was a difficult start to the season, including retiring from both races in Australia and scoring points in only two of the opening six races, Bortoleto has since displayed great consistency, as he has only missed out on points on two more occasions.
With two wins in the Feature Races in Spielberg and Monza – the latter coming from last on the grid, the Brazilian leads the championship by four and a half points over rival Isack Hadjar heading into the next round in Qatar.
Gabriel Bortoleto reveals what he has learned the most since being in Formula 2
Bortoleto’s success has been incredibly impressive, especially at such a young age of only 19 as he establishes himself as one of the top young talents in the world.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Gabriel Bortoleto’s junior racing career
Speaking with Lito Cavalcanti on his YouTube channel, the Brazilian explained what he has learned the most from the start of the F2 season to now leading the drivers’ standings.
“Look, I would say I’ve changed a lot and it’s logical, but the base itself I haven’t changed and it’s still who I really am, the way I drive, aggression, these type of things,” he said.
“But I would say that I learned a lot more technically about my car nowadays. I can give more concrete opinions, I am more sure of the things I say, I ask my engineer.
“I learned that often things do not come to easy in your hand, let’s say. It’s a rookie year for me, it’s my first year in the category, but I had to take this step. I had to understand the reasons, for example, the starts weren’t going well, the procedures, I was the one [wondering] what was happening.
“So slowly we started to understand this, of course I have with me every step of the way, working very close to me, a very strong team.”
Gabriel Bortoleto is a potential option for Sauber in Formula 1 for 2025
With such a small margin separately Bortoleto and Hadjar and with four races still to run, the F2 title is all to play for between the two rivals.
There is perhaps more at stake for Bortoleto, as the Brazilian is being targeted by Sauber for their vacant seat in Formula 1 for 2025.
The Swiss team, who will become Audi in 2026, have already signed Nico Hulkenberg to their ranks, with CTO Mattia Binotto being a keen admirer of Bortoleto having had discussions with him on a few occasions in the paddock.
With the 19-year-old already signed to McLaren’s academy, Bortoleto could be loaned to Sauber from the Woking-based squad or he could join the team permanently. In any case, it is exciting times ahead for the Brazilian.