Young Brazilian Driver Poised for Potential Audi Team Lineup

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Gabriel Bortoleto, a rising star in Formula 2, is positioning himself as a top contender for Sauber's second seat in the 2025 Formula 1 season, possibly racing for the future Audi team. After a strong 2023 F3 championship win and an impressive showing in Formula 2, where he has secured two feature race victories, Bortoleto has caught the attention of Sauber’s management. Currently second in the F2 standings, trailing Isack Hadjar by just 10.5 points, the Brazilian driver’s performance has not gone unnoticed, especially with critical races in Baku, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi still to come.

Initially, it seemed Valtteri Bottas was the frontrunner to secure a contract extension with Sauber. However, Bortoleto’s feature race win at Monza has reportedly changed the dynamic, bringing his name into serious consideration as Nico Hulkenberg’s potential teammate for 2025.

Audi’s Chief Technical Officer and COO, Mattia Binotto, recently commented on the team’s decision-making process, indicating that the team is still weighing the pros and cons of either fielding an experienced driver or taking a gamble on a young talent like Bortoleto.

“It's definitely something that we need to judge: are we going for experience or something else?” Binotto said.

“This is a project which is looking to a long-term objective, so what's the best for us from now to the final goal? Is it more having short-term experience and then moving to something different?

“We need to decide and today I think we are not in the position to answer. We are certainly listening to all potential drivers. We are certainly evaluating what the pros and the cons are for the best compromise.”

While Sauber is seriously considering Bortoleto, they would need to negotiate with McLaren, as the Brazilian is part of their young driver program. Bortoleto recently completed his first F1 test in a 2022 McLaren at the Red Bull Ring, but sources suggest McLaren wouldn’t stand in his way if an opportunity at Sauber arises. However, reports that McLaren has agreed to release Bortoleto or lend him out are premature, as talks have not reached that point yet.

For Bottas, this interest in Bortoleto is a potential blow to his hopes of securing a future with Sauber. After a challenging season with the team, the Finnish driver expressed optimism that Binotto’s arrival could boost his chances of staying, citing his experience as a key asset.

"Options are limited for me,” said the Finn. “That's how it is...[Mattia] really understands what he can get out of me for the team. So that's a good thing for me, obviously. And if I can get involved into a project for the years ahead, which is an interesting project, a car manufacturer, then I'm interested as well.

"So I think there's interest on both ways. And, yeah, we've made some progress. But I don't want to give anything more than that."

If Bortoleto secures the seat, he would be the third rookie to join the 2025 Formula 1 grid, alongside Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes and Jack Doohan at Alpine. Additionally, Oliver Bearman, already confirmed for Haas in 2025, has previously made his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia as a stand-in for Carlos Sainz and will be racing in Azerbaijan as a replacement for Kevin Magnussen.