Gabriel Bortoleto is the latest in a long line of Brazilian motor racing prodigies, and if the backing of Fernando Alonso and McLaren, as well as a meteoric rise through the support series ranks are anything to go by, he may well be the star of the future he is touted to be.
Here’s how he’s risen through the junior formulas to now be challenging for a second F1 feeder series title in as many years.
Karting
Gabriel began his career in karting when he was just eight years of age. It didn’t take long for him to get up to speed though, taking top three finishes in the end-of-season podiums for many prestigious national championships in 2012 and 2014.
By 2018, he’d made it to the global stage, where he finished third in both the European and World Championships in the hotly contested OKJ category.
Italian F4
The jump to car racing came in 2020 for the young Brazilian, now 16 years old, and with it, his first victory in a single-seater at Mugello. Four pole positions and five total podiums yielded fifth in the standings.
Formula Regional European Championship
From 2021 to 2022, Gabriel took part in two Formula Regional European Championship campaigns. There was a steep learning curve in the first season, and he ended the year with one podium.
With that experience in his back pocket, the latter half of the 2022 season was much improved for Bortoleto taking took two wins, two poles and a total of five podiums. Both campaigns were dovetailed with guest appearances in other series, taking a victory apiece in Stock Car Light Brazil in 2021 and Formula Regional Asian Championship in 2022.
Fernando Alonso
After his upturn in form late in 2022, Bortoleto caught the attention of a certain F1 driver, picking up none other than Fernando Alonso as mentor and manager by way of the two-time champion's newly co-founded A14 Management project. The Spaniard has played a big part in Bortoleto’s coaching ever since, something the young Brazilian hails as an invaluable element of his race weekends.
FIA Formula 3 Championship
2023 FIA Formula 3 was where Gabriel really came into his own. He hit the ground running with two victories in the opening two Feature Races, setting him up for a dominant campaign.
That’s not to say he tasted victory at every event. Far from it in fact, he wouldn’t take any further victories, but a quartet of second-place finishes in the latter half of the season and the fact that he only failed to score three times in 18 races meant he was 45 points clear of nearest rival Zak O’Sullivan in the final standings. By the end of the year, he was signed to be an Invicta Racing driver for 2024.
McLaren Driver Development programme
Off the back of his incredible season in F3, Bortoleto signed for the McLaren Driver Development programme in October 2023 and now receives full backing from the team.
FIA Formula 2 Championship with Invicta Racing
Despite a competitive outing at the opening round in Bahrain, Gabriel’s maiden FIA Formula 2 season didn’t get off to the best start, with non-scores in the following two events at Jeddah and Melbourne.
From Imola onwards, his comeback was underway, and he crafted a campaign reminiscent of his 2023 F3 title bid. A pair of second places came in the Imola Feature Race and Monaco Sprint, while he took a superb first F2 Feature Race win at the Red Bull Ring.
Another second-place finish at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps proved his Feature Race form was no fluke, but it was at magical Monza where he really took control of his destiny.
Becoming the first driver in F2 history to go from last on the grid to first at the flag, Bortoleto put in a career-defining drive to close right in on championship leader Hadjar, and another strong showing to take fourth in Baku saw him snatch that points lead.
With two events remaining (Qatar and Abu Dhabi), the end of the 2024 F2 season could prove pivotal for the talented young Brazilian’s career.
FORMULA ONE
In November 2024, it was announced that Gabi would become the first Brazilian to race in F1 since 2017, as he secured a seat with Sauber. Should he seal the F2 title, he will join the likes of Oscar Piastri as a driver to go from F3 champion to F2 champion to F1.
