Sauber rookie Bortoleto on his path to F1, being part of a long-term project – and Senna's legacy

He moved to Europe fewer than 10 years ago to chase his dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver – and achieved it in style. Gabriel Bortoleto is of a special pedigree, with his junior career including back-to-back titles in F3 and F2 – something only Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri can boast.

He’s now the first Brazilian with a regular spot on the F1 grid since Felipe Massa left the pinnacle of the sport in 2017. We sat down with one of F1’s 2025 rookies to talk about his path – and about a driver he names as his idol: Ayrton Senna.

Gabriel, what was it like to move from Brazil to a different continent when you were 12?

Well, obviously it was a risk. But, when you’re 12 and you have a dream, you don’t think about it, no? For me, if I’m honest, it was easy. I wanted to race go-karts in the best championships – and European karting was the best place to do that.

So, what would you prefer? To go to school every day in Brazil or go racing in Europe? It’s quite different! Obviously, jokes aside, being away from family is never easy, but I only suffered during the first year. I got used to the new life very quickly.

Did you move together with your coach, Francesco di Mauro?

Yes, he was my driver coach, exactly. And he was like family. He’s like a second father to me, even now. He was always great to me. At the beginning, it was just me and him – two of us living in the same house, cooking together, doing the washing, learning a lot of new things. Because in Brazil, this was all taken care of for me, and for him, too, by his wife – and here we had to manage everything on our own.

It was an amazing period in my life, one where I also became much more responsible and mature. Later, his family moved as well. But I think that time was very important for me.

Trident “took a risk” on Bortoleto in F3 – and he duly delivered on the potential the team had seen in him

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

For him, it must have been a difficult decision too, to move away from his family to help you in Europe?

I called him right after I signed my F1 contract – before it was announced. I wanted to talk to him, obviously. We had a very deep conversation, because a lot of things went through my mind at that moment when I achieved the dream. I was finally where I wanted to be – and that was his dream as well.

I asked him during that call, like, “Why did you do it?” Because to do something like this, you have to believe in it. I think he just loved me, and I loved him so much. I was like his kid as well – and he trusted I could achieve something big.

Honestly, every time I think about it, I see how crazy that move was for him – even more than for me, probably. And I’m very grateful to him.

His son, Gaetano, is a racing driver, right?

He’s a great driver. He raced in British Formula 3 [when it was still BRDC F4] back in the day, and he was very, very good. But just because of financial reasons, he couldn’t keep going in Europe, so he returned to Brazil and became a professional driver.

He’s one of the top guys there – and actually, I initially wanted him to be my coach because he was so good. I asked my father to talk to him, to see if he could work with me. I think I was around eight at the time.

So, one day I got to the track expecting Gaetano would come to teach me but, instead, it was Francesco. And he said, “Don’t worry, I was the one teaching him.” And it was true. That’s how we started working together – and I think it was the best thing that could have happened to me.

Ahead of his move to F2, Bortoleto sized up Invicta as a team he’d gel with – and another title followed

Photo by: Clive Mason/Getty Images

How did European karting treat you?

I think we were lucky to find a good team. Because there’s so much politics in karting. It can be a bit dirty too. You can get a better engine here and there, there’s a lot of money involved… But my father would never allow us to play dirty.

I was lucky I found CRG, one of the top manufacturers. I got very close to [Giancarlo] Tinini, the owner and founder, and he embraced me like a little project for his brand. So I did my whole career with them – from 12 to 16 more or less. He trusted me and gave me the best material available. Even if it wasn’t the absolute best overall, it was the best we could get, and we achieved great things.

I’d say my karting career was successful. I wasn’t world champion, but I was in the top three in the European Championship, I was vice-champion in WSK. We had good results.

Then, Gabriel, to be frank, you didn’t look like a superstar when you moved to single-seaters. But you made a big step up once you got to F3. Why is that?

If I’m honest, I don’t want to go too much into polemics here, but let me just say this: F3 and F2 are a lot more professional than the lower categories. Formula 4 and Formula Regional European are good championships, but I don’t think they have the same control over engines and cars – and sometimes there’s just a big difference between them.

I’m not saying people want to give advantages to certain drivers, it’s just that the series can’t manage it that tightly. And, although I don’t like the word, I’d say I wasn’t so lucky on that side – with getting good engines or the best bits in F4 and FRECA. But every time I changed teams mid-season, I improved straight away, getting podiums and wins.

The desire to build something as part of a long-term project in F1 is a huge motivation for Bortoleto

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

How much did it help to sign with A14 Management?

Very much. I wanted to sign with Trident in F3, but my results weren’t that great. I was sixth in FRECA – and with that, there’s no guarantee you get a good F3 seat. Without them, I would never have got it. But they had good contacts, and it’s always people who decide. Giacomo [Ricci, team manager] trusted them. He took a risk.

I remember we had dinner and talked about statistics. He said he could see in the numbers what kind of difference the engines made in FRECA – he knew those things, and he was a racing driver himself. He saw I finished most races and brought the car home. When I had a car for fourth, I finished fourth. If the car was only good for sixth, I was sixth.

And he told me, “If you get in our car in F3 and perform like you did before, then you can fight for the title.” And that’s exactly what happened. He was right.

Even before our first test, we knew we had something. Then we won the first race in Bahrain, then in Melbourne. I remember, I had a second-year guy in my DRS the whole race, and I kept it clean, no mistakes – brought it home. That was the moment I thought, “I think I’m ready to win this championship.”

The move to Invicta Racing in F2 was crucial too…

I have a driver coach, Roberto Streit, who I still work with. He’s a very good driver, was one of the stars in Brazil and even tested F1. And together we’re very data-driven. We know who I am as a driver, what kind of car I like – and early on, we saw that Invicta, which was Virtuosi at the time, had a car I could like. They were always strong; maybe didn’t win the title, but always second or third.

When we watched their onboards, we could see the car suited my style. And the feeling was mutual. When I started strong in F3, we already had early talks. In the end, it all came together – and when I moved to F2, I knew their set-up philosophy would suit me. They adapted things to me as well, and it worked very well.

Even with less immediate weight of expectation, the pressure to perform comes from within

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

You’re now in F1, part of a long-term project with Audi. Does that reduce the pressure in your first year? Unlike some of your fellow rookies, you don’t have to perform here and now. Everyone understands you can learn and improve.

Well, it’s obviously better than having a one-year contract, right? But it doesn’t take away the fact I want to prove myself – to myself. That’s how I’ve always been. Even with a long-term deal, I don’t feel more comfortable or anything like that. If I don’t perform, the contract doesn’t matter. We know where we are as a team now and where we want to be in a few years. That makes me happy.

More than the contract itself, it’s the project. We want to be title contenders. We want to win races and achieve big things. That motivates me.

You were born in 2004 – a full decade after 1994. But you talk about Ayrton Senna with real admiration. How come, if you never saw him race live?

I think if you ask any driver on the grid, almost everyone would say Senna was the best of all time. Of course, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton won more titles, and I don’t want to take anything away from them – but for me, growing up as a Brazilian, I became an admirer of Senna not just because of what he did on track, but who he was and what he did for Brazil, and still does.

My father used to tell me how, despite the political and economic situation in the country – with so much poverty – Senna was the one everyone woke up for. People from all backgrounds, rich or poor, would watch him race and hear him speak. The way he represented Brazil was something huge.

So, when you grow up hearing those stories, seeing him on TV, reading about him, you become a fan. His legacy never died. The Ayrton Senna Institute still helps so many kids in Brazil.

Bortoleto, here celebrating his F2 title, is proud to represent his country

Photo by: GSI - Icon Sport - Getty Images

Did you really watch the Netflix series about him before the F2 finale in Abu Dhabi?

Yes, I watched it every night before the race weekend. Started a few days before – didn’t finish it until Sunday. On Saturday night, I saw the episode where Senna fights Martin Brundle for the F3 title. It’s the last race of the season – he brings his engine to Italy, then goes back to the UK for the finale. That was inspiring.

Of course, it’s a series – there’s a bit of fiction – but it was a nice way to prepare for the title fight. It gave me an extra boost.

Your helmet is inspired by Senna’s design. Doesn’t that add pressure?

No, it doesn’t. Last year was a proper tribute – a 30-year special for Senna. But it’s also the colour of my country – our flag – and I’m proud to represent it. People will always bring up Senna – so yes, it’s tough to be compared to him, because no one will ever be what he was. We know where we are now, I’m not winning races yet. But fans understand.

That’s a big step forward compared to the time of Massa and Rubens [Barrichello]. Back then it was more like: either you win, or you’re not good enough. But now, after so many years without a Brazilian in F1, we’re back. I think the fans understand our situation, our ambitions – and they’ve been patient, supportive and very kind to me. 

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Senna’s legend and legacy are woven into the fabric of Brazilian society, so it’s only natural for Bortoleto to be a fan

Photo by: Ercole Colombo