Gabriel Bortoleto: “Ayrton Senna is an inspiration for me”

Sauber’s Brazilian spoke about the meaning of carrying the same colors as the tricampeon in his helmet and how his baptism is being in Formula 1.

The 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the end of Felipe Massa’s campaign in Formula 1. Since then, Brazil had not had a full -time representative in the World Cup again. A country with great tradition in the category, which celebrated 101 triumphs of nationals, 126 pole posations and eight titles, three with Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet and the double of Emerson Fittipaldi. That drought was cut this year with the landing of Gabriel Bortoleto, who joined Sauber’s ranks (It will be Audi since next year) after having been at the McLaren Academy.

The 20 -year -old Paulista palmarés is amazing: F3 and F2 champion in consecutive years (2023 and 2024) and the hopes of Brazilians to reverde laurels is great. Of course, in the future, because in this last year of Team under the name Sauber is transition until the arrival of the new regulation and the German rings.

In talk with AM850, Bortoleto talked about his first steps in F1: “I am happy, although it was not the dreamed beginning. But what would be the dreamful beginning? Get up to the car and be in q3 is what we would like to all, but I am realistic and I know where I am, where we are with the team and the car and the car. There are positive things, I grew a lot as a pilot in the last races. I learned new and good things and although it is not seen in the table or in results, only we in the qualification know the work we are doing, ”said the Brazilian.

Although he does not renounce the fact of being in one of the cars in the back of the grill, his competitive spirit would like to be in a better car: “It is a shame because I would like to have a more competitive car and be able to be more in Q3 and show aggressiveness and stand out, to be better in my year like Rookie, but you have to do the beginning and maximize every weekend. I made mistakes in classifications in China and Baréin, but it is what happens. I see many world champions make mistakes is normal, especially in these cars that are very difficult to push to the limit. If you do, you can collide. ”

Asked about which goal would like to meet for this year, the Brazilian was clear: “I would love to add points as soon as possible, but per hour we cannot. Maybe if the race goes very well or some of the cars to beat collide, we could add. But not in a normal situation. Ads constantly would be good.”

Bortoleto runs with a yellow helmet, a model very similar to the one used: “I am proud to represent Brazil, I did a good job in the junior categories and I wish to pride them in F1 too. Because it has not been an easy path. It is a country in which we have had much success in F1 with championships won. There is expectation. It is a matter of time and patience. And Senna is my idol, it always was, the inspiration of the Sennna helmet with the colors of Brazil. Seeing the colors you can know that you are a Brazilian pilot. ”