With the F1 driver market somewhat settling down, Gabriel Bortoleto is expected to play a crucial role in the available seats. The Brazilian is in contention for the F2 championship in his rookie year, as Audi (currently Sauber) are considering him for a 2025 F1 seat. Amid this, Fernando Alonso has come out and backed Bortoleto’s F1 chances.
The F2 rookie is currently a part of the McLaren driver academy and is managed by Alonso‘s management team A14. The Spaniard recognized Bortoleto’s talent at a young age—the Brazilian has even raced for the Spaniard’s FA Racing team in FRECA. Alonso speaks highly of the young driver and has now presented his F1 case.
Rumoured #F1 2025 seat contender Gabriel Bortoleto is managed by Fernando Alonso’s A14 Management stable.
And Alonso believes the 19-year-old – “an incredible talent and very humble person” – is destined for F1 sooner or later. pic.twitter.com/dU70RTOc2N
— The Race (@wearetherace) September 12, 2024
Speaking with the media at the Azerbaijan GP, Alonso said, “He’s an incredible talent and a very humble person as well, which I think that’s the biggest thing that we need to work on. He’s a hard worker, apart from his talent, and I think that’s why in F3 and F2 he had so much progress.”
Alonso reportedly had a meeting with Audi to talk about Bortoleto’s future. As per the recent reports, McLaren has allowed the Brazilian to join another team if an opportunity presents itself since they’re not able to accommodate an F1 driver at the moment. Speaking about Bortoleto’s F1 chances, Alonso added,
“Let’s see what the future brings. But, you know, it’s a matter of time that he gets to F1.”
The Alonso-managed driver is only 10.5 points behind the championship leader Isack Hadjar for the F2 title. Although Bortoleto has only won two races in the F2 championship, his consistency and ability to make the most out of a situation is what has impressed everyone. Regardless, he is going to face tough competition for getting the Sauber seat.
Valtteri Bottas confident of his Sauber/Audi future
A few months ago, the Finnish driver was 99% sure about his chances of staying in F1 in 2025. When asked by the Race if that assessment was still true, the Sauber driver confirmed that it was.
Bottas is clear in what he wants—a multi-year deal—and has conveyed the same to the team. He added, “For me, it’s pretty clear what I want and hopefully we’ll get there soon.” While Audi’s new COO, Mattia Binotto has been highly interested in Bortoleto, he has also hinted at retaining Bottas. The 10-time Grand Prix winner is naturally a solid driver to rely upon.
A few weeks ago, Bottas cheekily posted an Instagram story of an Audi R8 with his racing number 77 on it. All these signs hint at a deal in place with the finer details under evaluation. Still, Bottas has also hinted at IndyCar being a possible destination, if he fails to secure his F1 seat for 2025.
