Gabriel Bortoleto: I love the work I do!

      In 2025, Gabriel Bortoleto made his Formula 1 debut with Sauber, earning his first World Championship points at the Austria race. That weekend, the young Brazilian became yet another hero of a lively interview on the official F1 website, where he answered not only questions related to motorsport...

      Question: Can you describe yourself in three words? Gabriel Bortoleto: Okay, since you've decided to start with that! I am a happy person, yet I am very focused… What else to add? I love what I do!

      Question: How did you come to love Formula 1? Gabriel Bortoleto: It all started with what made me love racing in general… When you're into motorsport, you always dream of Formula 1, because it’s the pinnacle you can someday reach. Past drivers who succeeded—my heroes—are enough to mention Ayrton Senna.

      In Formula 1, the best drivers in the world compete, so I started dreaming of getting here. It became my goal to try to become the best someday too. To do that, you have to compete with the highest level drivers. I believe that was one of the reasons I always dreamed of racing in F1.

      Question: Where and when did you first sit behind the wheel in your life? Gabriel Bortoleto: I was six years old, the event happened in Brazil, in my hometown São Paulo. There was a very good race track, and I got a blue go-kart. I still remember the smell of oil, the hot engine, and how I felt back then… I remember everything. It was a wonderful moment!

      Question: On your first attempt, did you pass your driver’s license exam? Gabriel Bortoleto: Yes, on the first try! I have to say, I was very lucky. I did everything correctly on the first attempt, including perfectly handling the reverse parking exercise.

      Question: Who are your best friends in the paddock? Gabriel Bortoleto: Max Verstappen and Oli Berman. I think I have the closest relationship with them; we often talk and see each other.

      Question: How did your friendship with Max begin? Gabriel Bortoleto: It started with us playing video games, and then when I was racing in Formula 3, we raced on simulators. We formed a great group of friends; we all played together, and now I’m a brand ambassador for Team Redline, Max Verstappen’s team. They’re great guys, and since then we spend time together, enjoying virtual racing—it's very fun!

      Question: Which three people from the world of Formula 1, past or present, would you invite to dinner, and who would they be? Gabriel Bortoleto: Surely I would invite James Hunt? It’s well known that he was a big party lover and all that. Or Kimi Räikkönen, because I heard he enjoys crazy partying sometimes...

      Question: Who else, to complete the list? Gabriel Bortoleto: I would say Ayrton Senna. But I don't know how he behaved at parties. I’ve heard almost no stories about that. Just imagine how interesting it would be to go to a restaurant with him.

      Question: Where and when did you spend your best vacation? Gabriel Bortoleto: I think it was last year, with my brother’s family and my girlfriend. Three years ago, my girlfriend and I also had a great time on the island of Mykonos. It was wonderful. I remember we rode quad bikes, reached the top of a mountain, and stopped there: from that spot, against the sunset, there was a stunning view of the whole island with its white houses…

      Question: If you had to choose one driver and one team boss to go with to a deserted island, who would they be and why? Gabriel Bortoleto: Probably I would choose Masi Bianchi. He’s a very smart person, and I think he would be very useful on a deserted island—helping to build a hut and the like. As for the driver, it would probably be Max. He’s always satisfied with everything, almost never complains. Every time we talk, I hear him say, “Everything’s fine!” Overall, he’s easy to be with.

      Question: What are your worst memories related to travel? Gabriel Bortoleto: One of the worst memories is returning from Miami. My first flight was delayed, I missed the second, and the next was only in two days. It was terrible…

      I was flying economy class, which is okay—I can sleep fine there. But there were no available seats, and I was very tired after a race and hadn’t slept well for a couple of days. I had to take an emergency exit seat, and the door was very cold—probably minus 10°C. So, the entire flight, I was freezing, and I felt unwell for a whole week afterward. It was terrible!

      Question: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Gabriel Bortoleto: I think it’s a pretty simple piece of advice: “Enjoy the process!” That’s the best advice I’ve ever heard. When what you do brings you joy, everything works out well. Every time I feel I’m not enjoying my work enough, I try to return to it and redo everything properly.

      Question: If you could try a different profession for one day, what would you choose? Gabriel Bortoleto: I would like to become a professional tennis player. I really like this beautiful sport.

      Question: Do you play a lot of tennis? Gabriel Bortoleto: No, but I love watching tennis matches. I like the players’ mental attitude and everything related to tennis. But I don’t play tennis much; I mostly play padel. I really should take it up seriously.

      Question: What would you like to do in five years? Gabriel Bortoleto: I would like to become a world champion!