Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, making his Formula 1 debut in 2025, impressed his team with his maturity and dedication, standing out for his constant work behind the scenes. This commitment, Bortoleto feels, has been recognized by the squad and represents the foundation of his growth in his first year, as he looks ahead to the new challenge with Audi in 2026.
If one thing became clear in 2025, it is that the season’s rookies fully deserve their place in Formula 1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Oliver Bearman, and Gabriel Bortoleto – alongside Franco Colapinto, who had already had a taste of the category in 2024 – experienced the natural ups and downs typical of any debutant, but also demonstrated the talent to become future stars of the sport.
This is no small feat, especially considering the pressure involved when making a debut at the end of a regulatory cycle, with rivals already familiar with these cars. Transitioning to the complex and fast-moving world of F1 is not easy.
Within this talented group, Gabriel Bortoleto represents a particularly interesting case. His first year in Formula 1 felt more like a consolidation process than a debut measured purely by results. And the numbers, in fact, do not tell the whole story. The comparison in the standings with Nico Hulkenberg is stark, 51 to 19, but this statistic must be viewed in context.
The German driver has far more experience, with over 300 Grand Prix starts, but there were weekends in which Hulkenberg could not perform at his best, particularly in qualifying. In contrast, Bortoleto surprised many with his effectiveness over a single lap, which was not what he was most known for in the junior categories. Furthermore, throughout the year, a solid growth process became evident, with peaks that reaffirmed the talent admired in F2 and F3.
It is therefore no surprise that Jonathan Wheatley and Mattia Binotto, the two leaders of the Audi project, are extremely satisfied with the Brazilian. Bortoleto brought speed, certainly, but also a rare maturity for a 21-year-old thrust into the most demanding world of motorsport, with a strong desire to learn and to support the team.
There is also a noteworthy detail: in the early races, even when he was not required to return to the factory, Bortoleto often flew back to Switzerland to work with the team on the simulator, even during back-to-back weekends, demonstrating his technical commitment to improvement. “I think I achieved a lot this year. At the start, we had a car completely off the pace, certainly not one for scoring points. In Bahrain, I was a rookie in the chaos and probably didn’t make the most of all the opportunities. But the truth is, we didn’t have the pace to enter the top 10 until Barcelona,” Bortoleto told the official Formula 1 website.
The turning point came in the summer, when Sauber finally found a more favorable technical window thanks to upgrades, especially to the floor, which improved downforce on a car that had struggled with understeer. “At that time, I felt like I was delivering incredible performances. Then we stopped developing the car to focus on next year, while others continued. Maybe we fell slightly behind, but we remained in contention for points every weekend.”
Another element that Bortoleto considers crucial is the recognition of work done, even when it is not immediately visible externally. “It’s nice to be recognized by the people in the paddock, by the team, by the fans, because in the end, I know the work I’m doing. Sometimes you are limited by the car you are driving, and even if you do an excellent job, it may not really show. What matters is that the team knows what I’m doing, all the effort I put in, and the hard work I carry out.”
Despite the increasing visibility and the inevitable attention that comes with being an F2 champion on debut, Bortoleto has remained the same person who won over the lower-category paddocks. “I haven’t changed. I’ve learned to manage my time better, of course. But as a person, I’m the same. I like making people smile, making those around me happy. In F1, it’s easy to change, become famous, and lose a bit of yourself. I don’t see the point. I always tell my friends and even the team: if one day I change, give me a slap. So far, I haven’t received one.”
It is an image that leaves a mark: a young man who refuses to lose his authenticity, and does so with great technical curiosity. Perhaps this is exactly what makes his debut so convincing in the eyes of the team: the combination of speed, maturity, and lightness. A balance that teams hope to find in a rookie.
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