In 2025, Brazil will have with Paulista Gabriel Bortoleto a starting driver on the F1 grid. The last representative of the country had been Felipe Massa, eight years ago, by Williams.
The first race of the season takes place in Australia, at dawn from Saturday (15) to Sunday (16), 1h (Brasília time), at the Albert Park racetrack in Melbourne. Band and Bandsports convey the race.
The 20 -year -old will make his debut in the main category of world motorsport for Sauber.
Bortoleto started running from karting at age 6, in the Kartados of Interlagos, Granja Viana and Aldeia da Serra. He won competitions in Brazil and moved in 2017 to Europe in search of experience.
Born in Osasco, the pilot had the beginning of his career sponsored by his father, Lincoln Oliveira, entrepreneur of the telecommunications sector and CEO of the company that organizes Stock Car. The older brother, Enzo, ran in the British F3 and Porsche Cup.
After some European and karting world podiums, Bortoleto debuted in formula cars in 2020 at the Italian F4, ending fifth in the overall classification by the Escuderia Prema.
The following year, he competed in Freca (European Regional Formula), in which he ran for the two -time world champion Fernando Alonso.
At the end of 2022, the Spanish agency company – which runs in the F1 season by Aston Martin – assumed the direction of the Brazilian career in Europe.
During this period, Bortoleto also participated in four races on Stock Light (Stock Access category), with a victory, and the double -schooly race – tenth, alongside Gaetano Di Mauro.
In 2023 came the pilot’s debut in Formula 3, by Trident. With two wins in his first races in the category, the pilot soon managed to open a good advantage against opponents. In the last race of the season, in Abu Dhabi, he finished second for the fourth time and secured the title in the debut year in the category at the age of 18.
Last year, he played in Formula 2 – the last step before F1 – for unbeaten Racing, who had been with the deputy in the previous season. Again with two wins this year, he confirmed the title at the Monza GP in Italy in September.
He joined Oscar Piostri (McLaren), George Russell (Mercedes) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) in the select group of pilots who beat F3 and F2 in their debut years.
In November, he was confirmed at the post of holder by Sauber at F1, alongside German veteran Nico Hülkenberg, 37.
The last Brazilian to compete in the category had been Pietro Fittipaldi, replacing Romain Grosjean, with Haas, in the last two stages of 2020.
In the first free practice in Australia, Bortoleto finished 15th, ahead of the teammate, who was 18th. The lead was from English Lando Norris, from McLaren.
Green and yellow, the helmet chosen for the debut in the category pays tribute to the three -time champion and idol Ayrton Senna.
“You show your value by doing a beautiful overtaking, a nice workout, does interesting things in the rain, it really shows that it is a different person. I think this is what defines the Brazilian and this is what I define. I am a person who I try to inspire Ayrton Senna and is something that I really want to become more and more,” Bortoleto said in an interview with journalists after being confirmed at the end of last year.
