Sauber announced on Wednesday that 20-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto will be joining the future Audi team’s line-up for 2025 and 2026, making him the first full-time Brazilian driver in Formula One since 2017.
This comes after the departure of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, from the Swiss-based team at the end of the current season. In April, Sauber had already confirmed the signing of 37-year-old German driver Nico Hulkenberg, who is currently with Haas.
Bortoleto, who is leading the F2 championship and previously won F3, is part of McLaren’s driver development programme and Fernando Alonso’s A14 driver management company. McLaren has also confirmed that Bortoleto will be released at the end of the year.
“I am honoured to join a team that has such a rich motorsport history with Sauber and Audi,” said Bortoleto, who will be the first regular F1 racer from Brazil since Felipe Massa. “I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and I am looking forward to working with an experienced driver like Nico.”
Sauber, who entered F1 in 1993 and finished runners-up under BMW ownership in 2007, are currently last in the constructors’ standings and have yet to score any points this season. However, with the recent appointment of former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto and their plans to become the Audi factory team in 2026, they have high hopes for the future.
“Gabriel has already shown in the junior categories that he has the potential to be a winning driver. We are delighted to have him join the Sauber and Audi family,” said Italian team chairman Mattia Binotto. “Together with Gabriel, we are embarking on a journey towards success and we will work together as a united force to shape a new era for Audi in motorsport. “Nico and Gabriel make a perfect combination of experience and youth, positioning us strongly for the future.”
Bortoleto is among the latest young talents to enter Formula One, with Mercedes signing 18-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving for Ferrari. 19-year-old British driver Oliver Bearman, a protege of Ferrari, will be taking Hulkenberg’s place at Haas. Alpine, owned by Renault, has also signed 21-year-old Australian Jack Doohan, son of motorcycle legend Mick Doohan. Meanwhile, Williams has 21-year-old Argentine Franco Colapinto racing for them this season after dropping American Logan Sargeant. Red Bull’s RB team has also brought in 22-year-old Liam Lawson to replace Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo, with the New Zealander being the favourite to retain the seat.
“We are currently witnessing a new generation of drivers making a mark in Formula One,” said Sauber Motorsport chairman Gernot Dollner. “By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents. This signing reflects Audi’s long-term strategy and commitment to Formula One.”
Sauber clarified that they had “open and constructive discussions” with Bottas and Zhou before mutually agreeing to part ways. “After extensive discussions, we realized that the conditions for growing this project together were not met,” said Bottas, a 10-time winner of the Grand Prix. “Although it’s time for me to move on, I will always carry a part of this team with me and I am excited to see what the future holds for both of us.”
