McLaren have two excellent Formula 1 drivers under contract through the end of at least 2026, which makes having an exceptional Formula 2 talent a nice headache to have.
Gabriel Bortoleto leads the championship by four points from Isack Hadjar with just two race weekends to go.
It could all change before the end of the season, but if it remains how it is, the Brazilian will be making a strong case to graduate to Formula 1 in 2025.
The only problem is that there is a scarce supply of seats, leaving Sauber as his only option – otherwise, he will become the fourth straight driver to fail to secure a full-time Formula 1 seat after winning the Formula 2 title.
McLaren is working to make Gabriel Bortoleto ‘perfect’
There isn’t any sole aim of being in McLaren’s Driver Development Programme – for example, to reach Formula 1.
He’s in it to improve as a driver and become a well-rounded machine so that by the time he does find his way into the sport, he can perform from the outset.
Speaking to the GPRacing magazine [Page 30], Stephanie Carlin shared where McLaren have been working with him to help him improve.
READ MORE: Why IndyCar is proving to be an excellent proving ground for ex-Formula 2 talents
“Or with Gabriel [Bortoleto] we’ve been working to help him better communicate with his race engineer,” she said.
“The junior support series to F1 has very little track time, so it’s important to help a driver describe what he’s feeling in the car in a timely and precise way.
“When we apply the correct processes, then it’s easier to come by results. The challenge with the Driver Development Programme is to identify where the gaps are and to fill them to produce the perfect racing driver.”
Where does Bortoleto go in 2025?
The recently-turned 20-year-old will have to find a different pathway to Formula 1 if Sauber opts to go for either Valtteri Bottas or Franco Colapinto for 2025.
In winning the Formula 2 title, a return to the series will not be on the cards, leaving him with very little chance of a full-time single-seater drive anywhere in the world.
Maybe he could go to Japanese Super Formula, which is a slight step up for him, but it might not actually do his career any good.
READ MORE: Felipe Drugovich is his ‘own worst enemy’ as Peter Windsor slams huge career mistake
Oscar Piastri suffered a similar fate in 2022, having to sit behind Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon for a year as a reserve driver for Alpine before something opened up.
He will find his way onto the grid eventually, but it may require some patience, spending time in the simulator and learning from Lando Norris and Piastri in the McLaren race seats.