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Reuters

Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto would have a seat in Formula One next season if triple world champion Max Verstappen was making the decision.
There is only one clear vacancy remaining for 2025, at Swiss-based Sauber, and Red Bull driver Verstappen said Formula Two leader Bortoleto would be the man he would sign if the decision was his.
“If I was Sauber, I would have signed him already,” the Dutch driver told reporters ahead of Bortoleto’s home Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos.
“Especially if that’s the future anyway, you know – young drivers. And 2026, big rule change. It’s always good to get used to a team already for a year, make your mistakes here and there, get integrated well, understand the car a bit.

🇧🇷 Começou... GP São Paulo de F1! Quinta feira de pista 👊🏼👊🏼 #f1 #saopaulogp #Motorsport #automobilismo pic.twitter.com/GLro6dxFza
— Gabriel Bortoleto (@gabortoleto85) October 31, 2024

“You always feel much more prepared and comfortable when you then start in ’26.”
Brazil, home of the late Ayrton Senna and fellow champions Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi, currently has no driver in Formula One.
Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026, have experienced German Nico Hulkenberg signed for 2025 and numerous candidates for the other seat, including the incumbent Valtteri Bottas.
The contract of Sauber’s Chinese driver, Zhou Guanyu, expires at the end of the 2024 season.
The Swiss-based outfit are last in the constructors’ championship without a point, while drivers Zhou and Bottas have not scored a point for more than a year.

Bortoleto, 20, won the Formula Three championship last year and is now leading Formula Two.
However, he is part of the McLaren driver development programme and is managed by A14, a company founded by double world champion Fernando Alonso.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who won the F3 title in 2020 and F2 title in 2021 but had to sit out a year before getting an F1 seat, agreed Bortoleto deserved to be on the F1 grid.
“I think he’s been doing a very impressive job,” said the Australian.
“I have the personal experience of the pain of not getting a seat. So for his sake, I hope he doesn’t have to go through that,” he added.


Max Verstappen hailed ‘one of the greats’ after winning fourth consecutive F1 world title

Las Vegas GP: McLaren taking nothing for granted with constructors’ championship in sight

Las Vegas Grand Prix: nightmare for Max Verstappen’s hopes as Red Bull bring wrong wing

Las Vegas Grand Prix: Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda interrogated in his pyjamas on US arrival

Formula One (F1)

Brazil Grand Prix: Max Verstappen backs F2 leader Gabriel Bortoleto for vacant Sauber seat

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen says if he were Sauber, he would have signed Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto already. Photo: AP

The contract of Sauber’s Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu expires at the end of 2024. Photo: Xinhua

Mexican Grand Prix: McLaren say Verstappen penalties ‘not enough’ for driving Norris off track

Max Verstappen, seen here fighting to stay ahead of Lando Norris, was penalised twice for his driving during the early stages of the Mexican Grand Prix. Photo: AP

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz started the day on the front row of the grid. Photo: Reuters

Formula One: picking second driver looks like the easy part for new Sauber boss Binotto

Zhou Guanyu is expected to lose his seat with Sauber at the end of the season. Photo: Getty Images

New Sauber boss Mattia Binotto has some tough times ahead with the sport’s worst team. Photo: Getty Images

Verstappen blasts critics, Alcaraz’s nightmare in Paris, ‘clarification’ over Amorim move

Feeling the pressure Max? The Red Bull driver has had several testy exchanges with reporters ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix. Photo: DPA

Ruben Amorim was also answering questions on Thursday, but in the end said very little. Photo: DPA

The victor, Ugo Humbert, celebrates his win over Carlos Alcaraz in Paris. Photo: AFP

Sport

The Swiss-based outfit are last in the constructors’ championship, with neither driver, Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, yet to score a point


The Swiss-based outfit are last in the constructors’ championship, with neither driver, Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, yet to score a point.


Max Verstappen