Gabriel Bortoleto’s performances in Formula 2 this year are catching the attention of key figures in Formula 1.
The Brazilian moved to the category with Invicta Racing after he won the Formula 3 title last year. Heading into the penultimate round of the season, he leads Formula 2 standings by just four and a half points.
Collecting two wins and five podiums across the season so far, Bortoleto has carried over his form from F3 and displayed great pace and racecraft throughout the year despite a shaky start, where he suffered three retirements in the opening six races.
The 20-year-old is part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme and the Woking-based squad sees a bright future for the Brazilian. However, McLaren will not have a seat in F1 available until at least 2026 with the long-term contracts of drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Other teams have also expressed their interest in Bortoleto, particularly Sauber, and the F2 championship leader is under consideration for a seat in 2025.
Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri want to see Gabriel Bortoleto on the F1 grid in 2025
Sauber have the last vacant seat available on the grid for next season having already signed Nico Hulkenberg, and unsurprisingly, there are several options the Swiss outfit are considering.
Current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are in the running, as well as Kevin Magnussen, who has recently emerged as a potential option with his latest results with Haas.
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Franco Colapinto is also a candidate for the seat with Williams boss James Vowles stating that he was looking to loan the Argentine to the team.
There would have to be a similar deal for Bortoleto as McLaren are unwilling to let the Brazilian go permanently. Speaking with the media ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, F1 championship leader Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Piastri believe the 20-year-old should be on the grid next year.
“If I were Sauber, I would have signed him already,” said Verstappen.
While Piastri echoed these thoughts, labelling Bortoleto ‘impressive’ and stating that he deserves a ‘place at the F1 table’.
Is Gabriel Bortoleto ready for Formula 1?
Bortoleto was handed his first F1 test in September with McLaren at the Red Bull Ring in a 2022 car. While this will no doubt be the first of many outings, Alex Jacques thinks Bortoleto needs more experience as a reserve driver before stepping into F1.
This is the path that Jack Doohan and Oliver Bearman have taken, where they have gained valuable experience through the simulators and test sessions ahead of their moves to Alpine and Haas respectively.
There is a possibility that Bortoleto could end up as a reserve driver for 2025, but given his performances in F2 this season, it is no surprise that Sauber are looking at him for a permanent seat.
Sauber will become Audi in 2026 as a factory team, so they will need to carefully evaluate their options and ensure they make the right call. For Bortoleto, a move to F1 in 2025 would be a dream come true, but there will be that pressure to impress if he is to stay with the team in their new era.