Official – Gabriel Bortoleto joins Sauber for 2025

At 20, Bortoleto will become the fourth driver to make a full season debut in 2025, after Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Classic Mercedes for sale), Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Ollie Bearman (Haas), who already has three Grand Prix in this 2024 season. The Brazilian currently leads the championship Formula 2 two rounds from the goal, with a 3,5 point lead over the Frenchman Isack Hadjar, after winning the championship title F3 in 2023. Member of the young pilots program McLaren, Gabriel Bortoleto will logically be withdrawn from this program in 2025, as announced by the Woking team, due to his new role as official driver at Sauber in Formula 1.

Gabriel Bortoleto will be the first Brazilian driver to start a Grand Prix since Pietro Fittipaldi in the final two rounds of the 2020 season, replacing Romain Grosjean, injured, at Haas. He will participate with Hulkenberg to the transition between Sauber and Audi, since the German manufacturer will take control of the team from the 2026 season, the one of its debut in Formula 1 as a fully-fledged manufacturer. It has not been specified whether Bortoleto's contract is valid only for 2025 or if it is multi-year, but Audi mentions that it wants to build on this duo for the future.

Audi looks to the future

"It's one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not all of sport", explains the newcomer. “Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a real honour. Beyond just being a member, I intend to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity the team has given me and the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico. Both programmes have a proven track record of developing young talent, and I am confident that together we will write our own success story.”

Audi AG CEO Gernot Döllner was also keen to highlight the recent performances of young drivers such as Ollie Bearman and Franco Colapinto. These performances, from drivers called up as replacements at short notice, confirm the manufacturers' desire to give more young drivers a chance than in recent years: “Under Mattia [Binotto], Audi’s Formula 1 project is making great strides in many areas. The signing of the second driver is another important milestone. We are currently witnessing a generational change in Formula 1, with young drivers making their mark immediately. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured the services of one of these great talents. His signing underlines Audi’s long-term strategy and commitment to Formula 1.”

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