Former F1 driver urges Brazilians to stay calm: “Be patient with Gabriel Bortoleto, he’s a potential champion”. For the Formula E driver, Gabriel Bortoleto has the talent to become a future champion.

The Anticipation for Rookies

Unlike the start of the 2024 season, this year’s championship will feature four rookies in Formula 1. Excluding Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto, who participated in one and nine races last season respectively, the drivers set for a full-time debut in the sport are Jack Doohan (Alpine), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), and Gabriel Bortoleto. While Italian fans are excited to see Antonelli replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, there is also great anticipation in Brazil for Gabriel Bortoleto.

The Excitement

Signed by Sauber, the team set to enter its final season before transitioning to Audi control, the 20-year-old arrives in F1 after back-to-back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2. The Brazilian fans have high hopes for their young talent, reminiscent of last year’s “Colapinto-mania” in Argentina following the 21-year-old’s debut with Williams. Brazil, a country that saw Felipe Massa crowned world champion for a few seconds in 2008 at his home Grand Prix—before losing the title—has been waiting for a new national hero since the glory days of the late Ayrton Senna. However, ahead of the season’s start and pre-season testing, former F1 driver Lucas Di Grassi has urged fans to remain patient.

Patience Above All

A Formula E champion in 2016-17 and an F1 driver in 2010, Di Grassi pointed out the key challenges Gabriel Bortoleto will face in 2025, including an uncompetitive Sauber car and an experienced teammate in Nico Hülkenberg. While these factors may not favor immediate success, they do not diminish Gabriel Bortoleto’s talent, which is why Brazilian fans should not rush their expectations: “Yes, I think he’s a great talent,” he told RacingNews365, “but I believe Brazilian enthusiasm needs to be tempered a bit because he won’t have the car—at least not in his first year. Maybe he can match his teammate, maybe he can pull off some strong performances here and there, but the car won’t be competitive enough for people to celebrate. I think he has the potential to become world champion one day, but it will take time, so Brazil also needs to be a bit patient with him. He needs to grow, mature, and prove he can keep learning before he gets into a winning car. Then, he will fight to become champion.”