Sauber on Wednesday ended months of speculation and finalized its driver line-up for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Welcome to the grid, Gabriel Bortleto.
A year before Sauber became Audi F1 works operator, the team was left with no idea who would take the second seat after veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg returned to Sprint to announce he would join the team for the 2025 season. We discussed it for months. Current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Chou have been mentioned as possibilities, while young genius Franco Colapinto (whose performances to date have attracted attention since joining the grid as a mid-season substitute) is also a potential driver. It was listed as an option.
However, another option was Bortleto, F2's current championship leader and member of the McLaren driver development program.
Sauber made a two-part announcement on Wednesday, first announcing that Chou and Bottas will not be with the team next year, then announcing that Bortleto will join the team in 2025 on a multi-year deal.
“Gabriel has already proven in the junior category that he has what it takes to be a winning driver. We are very happy that he will become a member of the Sauber and Audi team. We continue our journey towards success and will evolve into a unified force that will shape Audi's new era in motorsport,” said Mattia Binotto, COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport. “Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth, strongly positioning us for the future.”
In his announcement, the young driver called it a “truly honour.”
“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not all sports. It is a real honor to join a team that combines the rich motorsport histories of Sauber and Audi,” said Bortolet. spoke. “I look forward to growing beyond just being a member and aim to reach the pinnacle of motorsport with this ambitious project. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with such talented drivers. Both programs have a proven track record of developing young talent and I am confident that together we can write a unique success story.”
This news leaves only one vacant seat for next year, the second seat in the Visa Cash App RB F1 team. That seat is currently held by Liam Lawson, but the drama within the Red Bull family over that seat, and the one currently occupied by Sergio Perez, shows no signs of abating.
