Gabriel Bortoleto: The Rising Star Set to Join Sauber in Formula 1 for 2025

Sauber, the Swiss Formula 1 team set to become Audi in 2026, has announced a significant change in its driver lineup for the 2025 season. Gabriel Bortoleto, the current leader of the Formula 2 championship, will join the team alongside Nico Hulkenberg, replacing Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

Bortoleto, a 20-year-old Brazilian driver, has made a rapid ascent through the junior ranks. He began his single-seater career in the 2020 Italian F4 season with Prema, finishing fifth. He then moved to the Formula Regional European Championship, where he faced initial challenges but eventually found success with R-ace GP, securing two wins at Spa and Barcelona.

In 2023, Bortoleto won the FIA Formula 3 championship in his debut season, a feat that drew significant attention. This year, he has been dominating in Formula 2, leading the championship with two rounds to go and aiming to become the first driver since Oscar Piastri to win the F3 and F2 titles back-to-back.

Sauber’s decision to opt for Bortoleto over the experienced Valtteri Bottas was influenced by the team’s long-term strategy. Despite having agreed on terms with Bottas, new team boss Mattia Binotto decided to gamble on youth, believing that Bortoleto’s potential and performance in the junior categories made him an ideal choice for the team’s future.

Bortoleto will have the opportunity to learn from Nico Hulkenberg, an experienced driver in the twilight of his career. The combination of Hulkenberg’s experience and Bortoleto’s youth is seen as a strategic move by Sauber to develop young talent and prepare for its transition to Audi in 2026.

Bortoleto expressed his excitement about joining Sauber, highlighting the team’s rich motorsport history and the opportunity to grow with the ambitious project. He aims to reach the pinnacle of motorsport and is confident that, together with the team, they will achieve significant success.