Bortoleto’s Surprise F1 Debut: Dreams Set for 2025

Brazilian prodigy Gabriel Bortoleto reflects on his unexpected 2025 F1 debut, calling it a life-changing moment and a dream come true.

Gabriel Bortoleto explained that Sauber’s initial plan was to grant him a full-time seat in 2026, when the team transitions to Audi F1.

The F2 champion, however, will partner with Nico Hulkenberg next season in the Hinwil-based team. He will race under the number 5, previously used by Sebastian Vettel.

Speaking at the FIA’s end-of-year awards gala, the Brazilian noted that “things changed very quickly” during discussions that began around the Italian Grand Prix in early September.

Bortoleto was part of McLaren’s young driver program, and at the time, Stake F1 was on the verge of extending Valtteri Bottas’ contract for another year.

However, the Finnish driver was seeking a two-year deal, and no agreement was ultimately reached, paving the way for the 20-year-old to become the first reigning F2 champion to secure an immediate F1 seat since Mick Schumacher in 2021.

“We had talked a lot, since Monza—slightly before, but nothing was decided,” Bortoleto explained during the awards ceremony in Rwanda.

“In fact, there were more discussions about 2026 than 2025 at that point, and then things changed very quickly.”

Bortoleto, who joined the ranks of drivers to claim consecutive titles in F3 and F2 as a rookie each time, highlighted that the announcement of his F1 promotion was one of the standout moments of his season.

The three previous drivers to achieve this feat—Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri—all went on to win Grand Prix races, a milestone the Sauber driver hopes to emulate in the future.

“When I got the message that I would be racing in 2025, it was one of the greatest moments of my life. I really didn’t expect it.”

“I wasn’t with my family at the time, but I called them immediately. For me, it was a childhood dream coming true—and also for my family, everything we had worked for since I was very young was becoming reality.”

“So yes, it was definitely one of the best moments, not on the track, it was off-track, but it was incredible.”