Gabriel Bortoleto has firmly laid the foundations for his future in Formula 1 with Audi. As we look back at the 2025 season, we revisit the defining moments that shaped his debut year in the pinnacle of motorsport.
The 2025 F1 season was a historic one for young talent, featuring five rookies on the grid: Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, and Gabriel Bortoleto. The latter arrived in the premier class as a back-to-back champion of the feeder series, having secured both the F3 and F2 titles in his respective debut seasons. By doing so, Bortoleto followed in the illustrious footsteps of current F1 stars like Oscar Piastri, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc.
The Brazilian rookie made his F1 debut with the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, pairing up with the highly experienced Nico Hülkenberg. This partnership is set to continue into 2026, when the Hinwil-based squad officially transitions into the Audi factory team.
Gabriel Bortoleto’s season in numbers
In his maiden year, Gabriel Bortoleto amassed a total of nineteen points, ending the 2025 standings in nineteenth position. He finished just three points shy of eighteenth place, which was held by Alpine’s veteran driver, Pierre Gasly. While the standings might not tell the whole story, his ability to stay close to established midfield names was a testament to his consistency.
At the season opener in Australia, Gabriel Bortoleto immediately turned heads by successfully advancing to Q2 in his very first qualifying session. However, the Grand Prix itself did not go as planned; a racing incident forced him into an early retirement. It was far from a simple start, but over the course of the 24-race calendar, the young Kick Sauber driver managed to find his rhythm and redeem himself.
The Brazilian driver secured his first-ever F1 points at the Austrian Grand Prix on June 29th, where he crossed the line in eighth place to bag four points. He followed this up with another solid performance at the Belgian Grand Prix, once again finding his way into the points-paying positions. However, Gabriel Bortoleto’s standout result in F1 came at the following round in Hungary. He finished the race in an impressive sixth position, right behind his mentor and manager, Fernando Alonso.
The two spent a large portion of the Grand Prix locked in a fierce battle. The two-time World Champion had to draw upon every ounce of his legendary experience to fend off the relentless attacks from his young protégé, providing one of the most compelling storylines of the weekend.
A significant low point, however, was undoubtedly his home race: the Brazilian Grand Prix. Arriving at Interlagos with massive expectations and the added opportunity of the Sprint format, the rookie suffered a double DNF. During the closing stages of Saturday’s Sprint, Gabriel Bortoleto was involved in a heavy impact with the barriers. Fortunately, he emerged from the wreckage unscathed. Despite the tireless work of the mechanics to rebuild car number 5, his Sunday race lasted only a single lap following contact with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
Despite these difficult weekends, Gabriel Bortoleto demonstrated immense maturity and talent throughout this F1 season, confirming the potential he showed in the junior categories as he prepares for the official arrival of Audi.
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