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OFFICIAL: Bortoleto joins Sauber to team up with Hulkenberg in 2025!
Sauber (currently Stake F1, soon-to-become Audi) have confirmed that Gabriel Bortoleto will become Nico Hulkenberg's teammate next season!
After Sauber have announced that neither Valtteri Bottas nor Guanyu Zhou will remain at the team for next season, the team have confirmed that Gabriel Bortoleto will join. The Brazilian currently leads the F2 to championship just ahead of Isack Hadjar, and was McLaren's development driver.
"This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all of sports. Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honour. Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and each the pinnacle of motorsport. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico. Both programs have a proven track record of nurturing young talent, and I am confident that together, we will write our own success story," Bortoleto reacted to joining F1.
Bortoleto will become the first Brazilian to compete in F1 since Pietro Fittipaldi did in 2020 after Romain Grosjean's crash, and the first full-time Brazilian driver since Felipe Massa, who retired in 2017.
"Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver. We are very pleased that he will become a team
member of Sauber and Audi. Together with Gabriel, we are on a journey towards success, and we will evolve into a unified force to shape a new era for Audi in motorsport. Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth, positioning us strongly for the future," said CTO and COO Mattia Binotto.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Sauber Motorsport AG, Gernot Döllner believes this signing shows the team's long-term commitment to the competition. "Led by Mattia, Audi's Formula 1 project is making great progress in many areas. The signing of the second driver is another milestone. We are currently witnessing a generational shift in Formula One, with young drivers immediately making an impact. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents. His signing underscores Audi's long-term strategy and commitment to Formula One."
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