Mattia Binotto considers Gabriel Bortoleto a candidate to join Sauber next year
The F1 driver market continues to generate surprises. Front-runners and midfield teams alike have made completely unexpected decisions in 2024. There could be yet another twist in store, with Gabriel Bortoleto emerging as a candidate to join Sauber. Mattia Binotto, recently appointed as CTO at Audi, sees Bortoleto as a candidate with potential.
Whilst performance is king in Formula 1 (and all branches of motorsport), perception sometimes matters more than reality.
Many drivers who perform at an exceptionally high level, for a combination of reasons, are often overlooked.
Paul Aron is a good example of this. The former Mercedes junior is generally an afterthought in F1 headlines – despite running third in the F2 Championship.
Bortoleto goes under the radar
Gabriel Bortoleto is another driver who merits more praise than he is currently receiving.
The 19-year-old is second in the F2 Championship, a hugely impressive feat given he is a rookie.
Kimi Antonelli, another rookie in the series, is virtually guaranteed to join F1 next season.
As outlined above, there are numerous factors that contribute to a driver’s perception.
Antonelli’s age, status as a Mercedes driver and impeccable junior career have all contributed to the excitement surrounding him.
Whilst the enthusiasm surrounding the 17-year-old is justified, there should be a comparable level of excitement for Bortoleto.
Until now, the McLaren junior has rarely been mentioned as a contender to enter F1. This is now changing, as formu1a.uno reports he is under consideration at Sauber.
Audi considers a change in direction
With Sainz joining Williams and Ocon signing with Haas, there has been uncertainty about who Sauber/Audi will put alongside Hulkenberg next season.
The team’s direction regarding their driver line-up has been unclear for some time.
At this stage last year, there were already conflicting reports about whether Bottas and Zhou were in Sauber’s long-term plans.
It seems clear that neither driver is the main priority at Hinwil, given that others have already been pursued for a 2025 contract.
With Audi seemingly unconvinced by the remaining established names on the grid, they could turn to a rookie.
Bortoleto is a hugely exciting talent, even if the attention surrounding him is less than it should be.
His arrival at Sauber would complete a hugely promising driver line-up at the team.
As a rookie, the Brazilian driver would not impose huge expectations on Sauber – something they will surely welcome in this transitional phase.
Moreover, based on this year’s results, he is certainly capable of being competitive in F1.
Both in the short and long term, Bortoleto could become a huge asset to the team.
It also goes without saying that the presence of a Brazilian would be a huge commercial boost for Audi and – by extension – F1 as a whole.
