Happy to represent his country in F1, Bortoleto wants to make Brazil proud

When Gabriel Bortoleto positions his Sauber on its starting position at Albert Park on March 16, the Brazilian flag will be back on a Grand Prix grid in Formula 1 on the occasion of the Australian Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2025 season. This will be the first time since Pietro Fittipaldi at the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Crowned with the title of champion of Formula 2 Acquired ahead of Frenchman Isack Hadjar, also promoted to the premier category of motorsport at Racing Bulls, the native of São Paulo (Brazil) does not only want to represent the Auriverde nation in Formula 1. The one who wears the colours of the Brazilian flag on his helmet wants to put the South American country back at the top of the Grand Prix rankings, like Emerson Fittipalrdi, Carlos Pace, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa.

« I am happy to represent my country, but it does not fully satisfy me, Bortoleto admits. I want to represent my country and do well, but I want to win races in the future, fight for important things. First, I have to improve as a driver and progress in F1, that's the most important thing for me now, mBut my goal is higher than that. I'm not just happy to be a Formula 1 driver. I want to be able to fight for things and make my country proud of everything I can achieve. »

2025, however, risks being a learning year for the São Paulo native who arrives in a team unable to score points during 23 of the 24 Grands Prix in 2024. Bortoleto has already had the opportunity to taste driving a Formula 1 car during the post-season tests that took place in Abu Dhabi, on the Tuesday following the last Grand Prix of the season and especially his title gleaned in the antechamber of F1.

« F2 was my goal until the end of the season. Then when I jumped in the Sauber on Monday to start preparing and doing big briefings and meetings with the team, that's when things changed. It was really great. No pressure, just a new start and a new journey. Let's see how it goes. »

To see the future number 5 shine, we will surely have to wait for the new regulations in 2026, synonymous with the arrival of the German manufacturer Audi in F1 in place of Sauber. With the firm with the rings, will Bortoleto be able to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious elders?

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