Gabriel Bortoleto has revealed that he pushed Sauber to provide him with a race seat in Formula 1 in 2025 to avoid having to endure an entire season on the sidelines.
Sauber announced last week that Bortoleto will make the step up to F1 next season to partner Nico Hulkenberg at the team which will transition into Audi come 2026.
Bortoleto was long recognised as an option to bag the second Sauber drive amid an impressive rookie campaign in Formula 2 which sees him lead the championship.
“It feels amazing,” Bortoleto told the official F1 channel. “It’s like a dream.
“Since I was very young I started racing with a dream to reach F1 one day and now, being able to sign this contract and to be on the grid in ’25, I’m very grateful.”
Sauber deliberated over Bortoleto’s F1 debut
Bortoleto has divulged that discussions with Sauber began several months ago as the team considered whether to hand him his debut next season or wait until 2026.
The Brazilian has admitted that he is relieved to have secured a permanent drive next season in order to be able to get up to speed prior to the regulations being reset.
“We have been talking for a couple of months already, I believe, about what was going to happen,” he disclosed.
“If it was going to happen in ’26 or in ’25,” he explained. “But I think the ’25 news came not so long ago.
“It feels very good, because I didn’t want to stay one year without driving.
“Now, being able to continue the momentum of driving – F3, F2 and now going to F1 next year – I think it’s the best way to do it.”
Piastri hoped Bortoleto would avoid F1 wait
Oscar Piastri, who experienced a season without racing once he won F2 in 2021, expressed his hope that Bortoleto would not be resigned to the same fate as he was.
“I think he’s been doing a very impressive job,” Piastri said at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix before the news broke.
“Obviously winning F3 as a rookie last year and now leading the championship in F2.
“So yeah, I think from my point of view, when you’re achieving those kind of results, you deserve to be in F1.
“And I have the personal experience of the pain of not getting a seat. So for his sake, I hope he doesn’t have to go through that.
“I think he’s been doing a very good job. Yeah, if he’s doing it on merit, then I think he deserves a place in F1.”
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