Gabriel Bortoleto, who took Valtteri Bottas’ F1 seat, has a reputation for being a tough talent. His background is influenced by Fernando Alonso.
The F1 team Sauber announced big driver changes on Wednesday. Those who drove in the stable for three years Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are allowed to leave at the end of this year.
Sauber’s newest driver is 20 years old Gabriel Bortoleto. Already earlier this year, the Swiss team announced the experience Nico Hulkenberg’s contract.
With Bortoleto’s contract, only one seat remains unfilled from next season’s race coach seats. The only free place is at Red Bull’s kind of sister team, RB, which has a contract for the time being Yuki Tsunoda with.
A Japanese team mate is in the offing Liam Lawsonwhich replaced Daniel Ricciardo at the end of the season.
However, the situation is complicated by the fact that it is unclear whether the flopped is doing badly Sergio Perez only next season in Red Bull’s top team. The 34-year-old Mexican has a two-year contract extension, but Perez’s future in the team is still considered very uncertain.
If Red Bull would give Perez the start passes, to Red Bull Max Verstappen’s next to Tsunoda or Lawson. Thus, a place would be freed up for RB. The favorite for that place would be a Frenchman from Red Bull’s junior academy Isaac Hadjarwho is racing with Bortoleto for the F2 series championship.
Double championship
With Bortoleto, F1 will surely have at least four rookie drivers next season. They are Bortoleto at Sauber, Kimi Antonelli Mercedes, Jack Doohan Alpine as well Oliver Bearman With Haas.
Also counting Lawson as a rookie, even though he already has 11 races by then.
The last time there were so many rookies in F1 was in the 2019 season, when George Russell, Lando Norris mixed Alexander Albon came to the series. He also drove with rookie status Antonio Giovinazziwho had already debuted in F1 two years earlier.
With Bortoleto, Brazil has a race driver in F1 for the first time since 2017 and Felipe Massa. Kimi Räikkönen and Massa, who drove as Valtteri Bottas’ teammate, is remembered for losing the 2008 F1 championship at the last corner For Lewis Hamilton.
Along with Antonelli, Bortoleto is one of the most interesting formula promises at the moment. A year ago, he won the F3 series championship, leading the series by a long margin.
This year, right in his debut season, he has a chance to win the F2 series championship. Before the final two weekends, Bortoleto leads the series by five points ahead of Hadjar.
Bortoleto may join the F1 stars Charles Leclercby George Russell and Oscar Piastri club as a driver who has won both the F3 and F2 series championships in consecutive seasons.
McLaren, one of the top Formula One teams, paid attention to the promising driver last year and attached him to its young driver academy.
Against his supporter
Bortoleto’s case is also made interesting by the fact that his background is influenced by a two-time world champion in the sport Fernando Alonso. Bortoleto is a discovery of the company managed by Alonso.
Next season, Bortoleto will run against his manager. The 43-year-old Alonso has a contract with Aston Martin until 2026. He will complete 400 race starts this season.
Alonso sent Bortoleto congratulations on Instagram on Wednesday.
– He has taught and supported me a lot along the way. I think it will be fun and we will have fun together, Bortoleto anticipate next year.
Alonso set up the company three years ago. Bortoleto is the company’s first most visible driver promise.
Sauber boss Mattia Binotto says that Alonso wanted to stay in the background when Bortoleto’s future was discussed.
– We met in the pit, but he never tried to convince me, Binotto said, among other things Reuters by.
There are a lot of interesting young drivers in F1 or at the gates at the moment who have made a big impression.
– We are witnessing a generational change in formula one. Young drivers make an immediate impression. By securing Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents.