NEW YORK, NY — The checkered flag was waved at the famous Red Bull Ring this past Sunday, concluding the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, and across the line in position eight came rookie phenom, and one of the two Latinos on the Formula 1 grid (the other being mid-season transfer Franco Colopinto). These P8 points are the first of Bortoleto’s young career and the race weekend also marked the former Formula 2 champion’s first appearance in Q3 in his career, paving the way for him to start eighth on the grid on Sunday.
The Brazilian driver, currently with the Stake Kick Sauber Formula 1 team, is a mentee of two-time World Champion and Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, who is in his 21st season and is currently driving with Aston Martin. Interestingly enough—Bortoleto’s fiercest competitor on the track Sunday was Alonso, as the two battled instantly for much of the race, but Alonso’s experience came through in the end.
“It has been a crazy one, you know? Nothing to say, just a great battle and I’m glad that I’ve been able to fight with Fernando until the end of the race for these points,” said Gabriel following the race (via F1.com).
Image Credit: F1/Formula One Twitter
In 2022, Bortoleto signed with Alonso’s agency and since then the Spaniard has been an instrumental piece in the young Brazilian’s rise to the highest level of motorsport in the world.
Alongside Bortoleto came his teammate and veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg in P9 to give Stake Kick Sauber an impressive double-point finish to wrap up an incredible weekend for the historically weak team.
Midway through the race, the team decided to swap the two drivers after the first round of pit stops, allowing the rookie to chase down Alonso, while Hulkenburg worked to maintain team position in the rear. The swap seems to point to the idea that Bortoleto will be the number one option for team Sauber as the team will usher in their new era with Audi ahead of the 2026 season.
Image Credit: F1/Formula One Twitter
With the conclusion of the weekend, Kick Sauber will hold their place in ninth on the grid, ahead of floundering Alpine, while Hulkenberg moves into tenth in the drivers’ championship, and Bortoleto into 19th.
Bortoleto left the weekend with hope for the future—“For myself, I’m here because I want to win one day. I’m not going to be happy because I scored a few points, you know? But for sure it’s already an achievement. We should be happy with every small achievement and we are going in the right direction to achieve our bigger dream, which will one day be winning championships,” (via F1.com).
Image Credit: F1/Formula One Twitter
Bortoleto still has much to look forward to this season, though, as 13 races remain on the F1 calendar, including his home Grand Prix in São Paulo, which will take place on November 9th as the season comes to a close.
Also following the race came the announcement that the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull ring will be extended through 2041, further cementing the event as one of the premier race weekends on the Formula 1 calendar.
As for the rest of the grid, McLaren continues to dominate both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing first and second, respectively, in Austria as the sport prepares to head into its summer break, not before, however, a mainstay race at the Silverstone Circuit in England.
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