Gabriel Bortoleto is undoubtedly one of the most interesting prospects at the moment in Formula 2, being in full fight for the title despite being in his debut year in the category. The Brazilian, in fact, last year won in Formula 3 with Trident, thus earning the ticket to take the next step, moving up to the category that precedes Formula 1 with Invicta.
In both Formula 3 and Formula 2, his ability to be consistent and often score points has made the difference in two championships where it is not just the top result that counts, but also the performance throughout the season. Just last weekend, however, Bortoleto was the protagonist of one of his best weekends in his career, with a double comeback from last place in Monza after an accident in free practice: in the Sprint he managed to reach the points zone while in the Feature Race he even scored the victory thanks also to a Safety Car that came out at the right time.
Results that have put Bortoleto under the magnifying glass of the F1 teams: McLaren was the first to believe in his potential, so much so that it included him in its Academy at the end of last year. As part of his program as a junior driver of the Academy, the Brazilian was able to drive for the first time in a Formula 1 car: on Friday, in fact, Bortoleto drove a MCL36 at the Red Bull Ring, in what was his first ever test in a single-seater of the top series.
As per the regulation, in fact, a team can use cars that have at least two seasons behind them for the “free” TPC tests and, starting this year, it is possible to use the 2022 single-seater, the first of the new ground effect regulations: an opportunity to gain familiarity with a car that is closer to the current ones on a technical level.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Invicta Racing
Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
The young talent from the McLaren program has actually been active in the simulator in Woking since December and, at the end of last year, he did not hide his desire to take part in the two mandatory FP1 sessions that every team in the top series must guarantee to a debutant during the season: “F1 forces teams to give a rookie the chance to do at least two free practice sessions during the season. I have nothing signed in the contract about it, but it is obvious that if you do well and if you are the driver closest to F1 in the Academy, given that I am the only McLaren driver in Formula 2, it would make sense to do the free practice sessions. We will do simulator sessions, track tests and other activities as well”.
As happened a few years ago with Oliver Bearman, when Ferrari organised a test at Fiorano with an SF21 ahead of his free practice debut with Haas, drivers must complete at least 300km of testing in a Formula 1 car to be eligible for a licence to drive in FP1 at a race weekend.
Last year McLaren used the current reserve driver Pato O’Ward and the opportunity could arise again this season, perhaps for the free practice in Mexico, where other teams will field their rookies, such as Aston Martin with Felipe Drugovich. However, given the good results obtained so far, it is out of the question that the Woking team could field Bortoleto on at least one of the occasions.
As reported on the pages of Motorsport.com, the young Brazilian is actually at the center of attention on the market for a possible agreement with Sauber, which is currently evaluating how to move in view of next year. The Swiss team would like to offer current driver Valtteri Bottas an annual contract, in order to be able to move on the market with a view to 2026, with Bortoleto who presents himself as a possible alternative to the Finn.
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