Bortoleto has proved his worth: 'I deserve to be here'
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When Gabriel Bortoleto takes to the grid at Melbourne's Albert Park Circuit next March, it will mark the beginning of what many anticipate to be a remarkable Formula 1 career.
At just 20 years old, the Brazilian's journey to motorsport's highest echelon has been as rapid as it has been impressive.
For Bortoleto, the journey began in 2020 with Italian Formula 4, but it was his back-to-back triumphs in the FIA F3 and F2 championships which came to fruition this year that truly solidified his status as a prodigy.
His ability to secure these titles as a rookie – just like Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri before him – only underlined his exceptional talent.
However, it was a dominant victory from 22nd on the grid at Monza earlier this year that truly solidified marked a turning point in Bortoleto's young career.
"I felt so strong after that, everything was going so well for me," he remembered in an interview with F1.com.
"I think that was the moment. We started this year in a difficult position, we didn't score many points.
By Monza, I think I was 38 points behind Hadjar, and I did my only mistake in qualifying of the year.
"We scored in the Sprint and then won from last in the Feature Race. I thought afterwards that this was the moment I turn things around. Then we went to Baku, and I took the lead of the Championship."
F1 Negotiations Behind the Scenes
This all-important period coincided with behind-the-scenes negotiations with Sauber. While such talks could have distracted a less focused driver, for Bortoleto, they only fueled his momentum.
"I think the break was quite good for me," he explained. "The negotiations were done by the last two weekends and I was already announced, but through Monza and Baku, we were still talking so these were the moments where performance was very important.
"Mattia [Binotto, Sauber's team principal] has been very, very good and knew we were fast and knew we had the opportunity to do great work together. With the results I was earning in F2, it was clear for us that we were progressing, and the season had been good.
"Every race I was progressing as a driver, and we were doing the job better."
A Championship Clinched, A Dream Fulfilled
By the time the F2 paddock arrived in Qatar, Bortoleto's F1 future had been secured.
He went on to clinch the Formula 2 Championship in Abu Dhabi, cementing his place among a select group of drivers who have won both F3 and F2 titles before stepping into Formula 1.
"I proved to myself that by winning F3 and F2, I deserve to be here," he said. "I didn't get the deal because of anything else, I did this because I won both Championships, like Piastri, Russell, and Leclerc."
A Moment to Remember
As he recalls, the signing of his F1 contract was a deeply personal moment, shared with his inner circle who had supported him from his early karting days.
"I was with my girlfriend and had my parents on FaceTime, one of my sponsors was on the phone call as well – that was a very special moment for us," he recalled.
"They were there and got to be part of me signing my F1 contract. When you have a lot of people behind you, supporting you, reassuring you that you can do it, wishing you good luck, it can mean the pressure is a little higher.
"But that was never something that got me out of focus, it was a positive for me. Having those good people around me, supporting me since I was young – when I won, it was a weight off my shoulders."
Now, as he prepares for his rookie season in Formula 1, Bortoleto approaches the opportunity with the same determination that has defined his meteoric rise.
With Sauber, a team undergoing its own transformation in partnership with Audi, he has the chance to be part of a project built for long-term success.
For Gabriel Bortoleto, Melbourne will not just be the beginning of a new chapter, but the continuation of a story that promises greatness.
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