Gabriel Bortoleto has been confirmed at the latest rookie to be joining the Formula 1 grid in 2025.
After months of speculation, the Brazilian will take the second seat at Sauber next season after signing a multi-year deal. Driving alongside Nico Hulkenberg, Bortoleto will become an Audi works driver in 2026.
The 20-year-old will join his fellow Formula 2 competitors Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman on the F1 grid next season, with the PREMA drivers joining Mercedes and Haas respectively. Former F2 driver Jack Doohan has signed with Alpine, while Liam Lawson is set to land a full-time seat with either Red Bull or their junior team RB.
Bortoleto had been part of the McLaren Academy since he won the Formula 3 title in 2023, but with his move to Sauber, he will be released by the team at the end of the year.
Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber move could attract more attention to other Brazilian talents like Rafael Camara in motorsport
Brazil have not had a full-time F1 driver since Felipe Massa retired from the sport in 2017. Only Emerson Fittipaldi’s grandson, Pietro Fittipaldi, has raced in F1 since then as he took part in the last two races of 2020 with Haas in the place of Romain Grosjean.
With Bortoleto’s announcement, according to Guilherme Longo from Motorsport Brasil, it may give an opportunity for other young Brazilian talents to climb the ranks and reach F1.
Longo believes that Bortoleto can play an ‘important role’ in helping the likes of Rafael Camara, who will join Trident in Formula 3 next season, 15-year-old Miguel Costa, who will race in Spanish F4 in 2025, and Rafaela Ferreira, who will join RB in F1 Academy, attract more sponsorship and give them the much-needed attention.
“Whether we like it or not, it attracts more attention to Formula 1, it attracts more sponsorships and therefore attracts more money,” he said.
“So, Bortoleto could also be playing an important role for these boys who are on the way, we have Rafa Camara today who is in Formula 3.
“Miguel Costa now that he [is] announced for the Spanish Formula 4, Rafaela Ferreira who is going to F1 Academy. So, the presence of Bortoleto [is going to] also have an impact on these other pilots who are trying to get there, so who knows in the future.”
Rafael Camara has had a hugely impressive junior career
Bortoleto joining Sauber will certainly bring attention to other drivers in Brazil as the nation looks to reinvigorate their proud history in F1.
F3-bound Camara is especially a driver that is one to look out for. The 19-year-old has had an incredible junior career so far, finishing in the top three in all but one championship he has raced in so far.
READ MORE: Roman Bilinski sends leaving message to Trident after confirming 2025 F3 plans
The Recife-born driver won the FRECA title this season with PREMA ahead of his teammate James Wharton who has signed with ART Grand Prix in F3 next season. For 2025, Camara will be joining Trident, leaving PREMA fans furious and feeling like they have ‘fumbled’ by letting the Brazilian go.
The Ferrari Academy driver will be coming to the team that housed the 2024 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, so Camara has the tools he needs to continue his impressive streak at the front when he steps into F3.