Brazilian racer Gabriel Bortoleto joins Kick Sauber F1 Team, becoming a full-time Formula One driver from 2025, partnering with German driver Nico Hulkenberg, the Hinwil outfit announced on Wednesday.
Kick Sauber F1 Team signed current Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto on a multi-year agreement from 2025 onwards, becoming the first Brazilian driver to join the F1 grid full-time since Felipe Massa said farewell to the pinnacle of motorsport in 2017.
“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all sports. Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor,” remarked the 20-year-old.
“Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport. I am 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. I am confident that together, we will write our own success story.”
The 2023 Formula 3 champion completes Sauber driver’s line-up, pairing German driver Nico Hulkenberg, 37, next season.
Current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will leave the squad at the end of the season.
Audi Formula 1 Project
Sauber Motorsport AG will transition to Audi F1 factory team in 2026; the strategic partnership will see Audi AG acquire 100 percent of the Swiss Group.
A dual management team has been appointed in that regard, consisting of former Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto, who will act as Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer (COO and CTO) of Sauber Motorsport.
With over 25 years of experience in F1, the Swiss-Italian engineer will oversee the technical interface between the development teams in Hinwil and Audi Formula Racing GmbH at the Audi Motorsport Competence Center in Neuburg an der Donau, in charge of developing the Formula One powertrain.
Speaking about Bortoleto joining the team, Binotto outlined he is looking forward to working with him.
“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,” he added.
“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.”
Meanwhile, former Red Bull Racing Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley will step into the role of Team Principal and management spokesperson from July 2025.
According to the German car manufacturer, Wheatley will focus “above all on the racing performance of the future F1 factory team, operational management of all race events, and on representing Audi at Team-Principal level in matters relating to Formula 1.”
As established by Formula One, new Technical, Sporting, and Financial Regulations approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council will apply in 2026.
On the way to innovation, becoming a cost-effective platform has been essential to attract newcomers to join the sport at a competitive level.
The Road to Formula One
The Sao Paulo-born racer kickstarted his single-seater career debut in the Italian F4 Championship in 2020, finishing fifth.
After two seasons driving in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, he moved to Formula 3, claiming the title on debut.
Ahead of the final two rounds of the Formula 2 Championship, the former McLaren Driver Development program member leads the driver’s standings with two victories and three second-place finishes under his name.
Gernot Dollner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG, asserted: “We are currently witnessing a generational shift in Formula 1, 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 1.”
